There are all manner of benefits from donating to political parties. But privileged access to knees-ups with decision makers that are dressed up to avoid looking like pay-for-play is undoubtedly chief among them.

Recurring annual donors to WA Labor – sorry that’s “Labor’s Business Roundtable”, where admission requires paying some $20,000 to $30,000 a year – were recently invited for a full day of one-on-one meetings, lunches and “sundowner” drinks with Premier Roger Cook and key members of his cabinet.