Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au

Aaron Bunch
Corrupt senior Qld firefighter jailed

A former Queensland Fire and Emergency Service inspector paid $194,500 for corruptly helping suppliers win lucrative contracts has been jailed for three years.

May 31, 2019

A tip-off from the estranged wife of a former top Queensland firefighter helped authorities unearth official corruption behind the emergency services’ multi-million dollar uniform deal, a court has heard.

Steven John Sparks, 44, was convicted on Friday of using his position as head of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s capability resources unit to help two suppliers win lucrative contracts between 2014 and 2017.

Judge Greg Lynham told the Brisbane District Court the former inspector’s department was trusted with identifying the lifesaving products used by the fire service.

But Sparks, a decorated firefighter who’d started at the bottom and worked his way up the service, also used his role to help JPI Australia Pty Ltd land a state-wide firefighter uniform supply deal worth $6 million, he said.

JPI had no prior experience but Sparks, who managed the project, recommended the company as a supplier and then helped it write its bid.

Judge Lynham said Sparks also provided Industrial Decontamination Services Pty Ltd with information that helped the company win the QFES uniform laundry contract worth $1.6 million.

Sparks, while chair of an evaluation committee to find a supplier to manage overall service delivery to QFES, also began helping the same two companies prepare their tenders to win the lucrative contract.

The court heard Sparks was paid $194,500 by the companies for his services.

The money was paid to Sparks’ company SJS Square Pty Ltd, which traded as Safety Edge, and through another firefighter, who received a 10 per cent cut, Judge Lynham said.

But the cosy deal ended when Sparks’ estranged wife and an anonymous caller tipped off the QFES about the conflict of interest in 2016.

Sparks was investigated by the Crime and Corruption Commission in 2017 before being charged with four counts of official corruption.

Judge Lynham said Sparks provided the companies an unfair commercial advantage.

“You misused your position and information you obtained from your position to facilitate assistance to the companies … a gross breach of trust,” he said.

Judge Lynham said despite this, the equipment and services provided were not of poor quality or unsuitable for firefighters.

“There is no suggestion here that QFES incurred any loss as a consequence of your corruption,” he said.

Sparks was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended after six months.

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