Speaker to determine whether PCMC sacking was legal Queensland speaker Fiona Simpson. Speaker Fiona Simpson has engaged senior counsel legal advice to determine if the government acted illegally in sacking the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee. Sacked independent MP Peter Wellington, who was re-appointed to the re-formed committee by the opposition, wrote to Ms Simpson with his concerns last week. Mr Wellington has questioned the validity of the government's motion and has called for an investigation and for Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie to stand aside. The government and Mr Bleijie have maintained they acted within their rights and that sacking the PCMC was the only way to protect the committee's integrity. Mr Wellington had been alleged by Mr Bleijie and other senior government ministers as showing bias against the subject of an investigation, along with Labor MPs Jackie Trad and Jo-Ann Miller. They used those concerns to pass a motion to discharge the committee in the dying hours of the last sitting day of the year. While the Speaker is still gathering advice on whether the government acted within its rights, a select ethics committee will begin its investigation of the government's claim of bias against Mr Wellington and Labor MPs Jackie Trad and Jo-Ann Miller. The select committee, consisting of three LNP MPs, two Labor MPs and a Palmer United Party member, which will be chaired by the LNP's David Gibson, thereby giving him a deciding vote, will meet before the end of the week. A spokeswoman for Ms Simpson said the Speaker expected to receive advice back on the PCMC matter early next week.