Crisafulli Government delivers fresh leadership to the Parole Board
- The Crisafulli Government has appointed Michael Woodford as the new Parole Board President to restore stability and confidence to the organisation.
- The former Parole Board president Michael Byrne resigned in June and has been referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
- Mr Woodford brings decades of experience to the position and has already commenced his new role.
The Crisafulli Government has delivered on its commitment to restore stability to the Parole Board Queensland, by appointing Michael Woodford as the new president.
The board has been operating without a president for seven months due to former President Michael Byrnes resigning under a cloud of controversy in June last year.
Mr Woodford has a distinguished legal career – with more than 25 years' experience as a barrister, working in criminal and administrative law. He served as a member of the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board and has acted as the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commissioner for Queensland since 2001.
Mr Woodford commenced his new role on Monday February 3.
Minister for Corrective Services, Laura Gerber said the Crisafulli Government promised Queenslanders stability for the Parole Board and appointing a new president to provide integrity and accountability to the organisation is the first step.
"We are delivering what we promised – to clean up the mess Labor made of the Parole Board in Queensland and to put a new leader at its helm," Minister Gerber said.
"Michael is an eminently qualified appointment and bringing a wealth of experience to the position.
"Since commencing practice in 1998, he has both prosecuted matters for Queensland and the Commonweath, and undertaken the role of defence counsel, in a long line of important criminal and statutory prosecution matters.
"He has extensive appellant experience in matters covering a wide range of cases from sex offences through to people smuggling, drug importation, fraud and domestic violence, and in administrative law and judicial review.
"Mr Woodford is uniquely qualified to take the reins of Parole Board Queensland at this critical time in its history.
"I welcome Mr Woodford and wish him the best in his new position. I am confident he will provide the leadership the Parole Board needs to ensure the effective operation of the board and to bring integrity and accountability back to the organisation."
