The Queensland Government Insurance Fund has decided not to appeal a decision to award more than $1.45 million in damages to former assistant health minister Chris Davis after he was denied a job.
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Dr Davis successfully argued to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal he had been discriminated against when he missed out on a job in the months after he left the State Parliament after a falling out with then-premier Campbell Newman.
He was awarded $1,450,771.69 on February 11, which the Metro North Hospital and Health Service was ordered to pay within 30 days.
On Friday afternoon, a Metro North Hospital and Health Service spokeswoman said the decision not to appeal the QCAT decision was made after "careful consideration".
"This claim dates back several years and the decision not to appeal will allow Dr Davis and Metro North to move on," she said.
"We take this opportunity to wish Dr Davis well."
Dr Davis, the former LNP member for Stafford, told Brisbane Times he was relieved.
"It should never have happened in the first place," he said.
"It really is a relief that the legal system has worked and it's never a matter for jubilation when a wrong has been corrected because the wrong should never have occurred."
Dr Davis said the ordeal had been an enormous strain on his family and he hoped lessons would be learnt in the health system from the matter.
In her decision, QCAT member Clare Endicott noted Dr Davis was "publicly critical of the Liberal National Party government and in particular, of the premier".
"Public comments made by the premier, Campbell Newman, laid the blame for the defeat of the Liberal National Party at the feet of Dr Davis," she said.
Last month, Health Minister Steven Miles said he wanted to make sure the payment did not "come from Queensland Health's coffers".
Dr Davis was dumped as assistant health minister for speaking out against doctor contracts and his government's Crime and Misconduct Commission amendments.
After Dr Davis resigned from Parliament in May 2014, he applied for a job with Metro North Hospital and Health Service as a staff specialist geriatric medicine senior medical officer.
There were two applicants for the job, of whom Dr Davis was the only qualified geriatrician.
Ms Endicott said the established recruitment procedure within Metro North HHS was not followed in the application made by Dr Davis.
Dr Davis complained Metro North HHS had unlawfully discriminated against him and did not employ him for the "substantial reason that he held political beliefs or engaged in political activities".
Metro North HHS denied consideration of Dr Davis's political activity influenced its decision but Ms Endicott found otherwise.
