Queensland's Parliament will now begin criminal background checks on new hirings after a man with child pornography convictions was employed in the electoral office of Child Safety Minister Sharon Fentiman.
Ms Fentiman and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk both distanced themselves from the controversy by blaming the Queensland's Parliament's employment process.
The felon worked for Ms Fentiman for less than a month and resigned the day before Ms Palaszczuk announced the November 25 election.
The premier said she was "unaware" criminal checks were not conducted on Queensland Parliamentary employees, and batted away questions about whether checks should be retrospective.
"That's a matter for clerk. I was unaware that (criminal background checks) wasn't the case," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"No one wants to see that happening in any work place. Now the clerk of the parliament has taken swift action."
Ms Fentiman said she was "shocked" and "horrified" when informed by Clerk Of The Parliament Neil Laurie that an assistant electorate officer in her electorate office had a criminal record for child pornography.
"I sought the staff member's resignation that day," Ms Fentiman said.
"We need to make sure these checks are done, it effects every politician."
It's the second time the ALP has been embarrassed by a government employee with a criminal past ahead an election.
In late 2011, just a few months before Queenslanders went to the polls, then-Premier Anna Bligh revealed the manager of the finance division of the Community Services Branch at Queensland Health, Joel Morehu-Barlow, had embezzled more than $16 million.
Morehu-Barlow was employed by Queensland Health despite receiving an eight-month non-residential sentence in New Zealand in 1999 for stealing around $32,000 as a servant, and a similar sentence for using a document for fraudulent advantage.
No New Zealand criminal background check was conducted and the incident lingered over the Bligh Government as it went to the polls in March 2012.
LNP spokeswoman Ros Bates called on Ms Palaszczuk to explain how the man was employed.
Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk, who campaigned in Manly on Saturday, announced $30 million in funding for marine infrastructure if re-elected.
Opposition leader Tim Nicholls made a similar announcement on marine infrastructure and committed $35 million to assist local defence industries ahead of next Saturday's election, which is likely to be won by Labor.
The latest Newspoll of six swing seats suggests that both parties will lose votes to Pauline Hanson's One Nation, but the preferences will help Labor win other seats from the LNP.
Queensland voters are split on the issue of the controversial Adani coalmine, with the government decision to reject a federal loan losing it votes in the state's north, but finding support in the southeast, according to the poll published in The Weekend Australian.
