Labor, LNP defend cash for access, continue to point the finger

When it comes to cash for access events in Queensland it seems the more things change - the more they stay the same.

The LNP Opposition criticised Labor for continuing to run its cash for access fundraisers – which were reinstated while Annastacia Palaszczuk was Opposition Leader – despite also running their own.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pulled the plug on a cash for access fundraiser which had been scheduled during the final week of the state election.Credit: Michelle Smith

In July, Labor offered business leaders the chance to "meet and engage" Labor MPs and identities at its August State Conference if they were willing to cough up between $5000 and $10,000.

That continued the party's re-embrace of cash for access fundraising events, something Anna Bligh put a stop to after Tony Fitzgerald began raising questions about Labor's integrity, but were re-started during Labor's cash-strapped years in the political wilderness following the 2012 election loss.

The latest ministerial diary release showed businesses took them up on the state conference opportunity.

Ms Palaszczuk had pulled the plug on a cash for access fundraiser which had been scheduled during the final week of the state election.

Labor, while in Opposition, heavily criticised the then LNP Government for their cash for access events – not for the fundraising itself, but for the fact that many of the donations would remain private, given the LNP upped the donation limit from $1000 to $12,800.

In defending Queensland Labor's own cash for access events in 2014, which included one lunch where business and stakeholders could chat to Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Shorten about developing policy, Ms Palaszczuk said it was not the fundraising which was the problem, but the lack of transparency.

Federally, Labor also held events, with one "exclusive" lunch offering time with Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for $3300 in May 2014.

Queensland Labor continued to declare all donations over $1000 even before it changed the law back to ensure the LNP would have to follow suit, and those who attended their events were named.

The LNP, which has had to retrospectively comply with the Labor donation law change, and is still trying to find names to put to donations totalling just over $100,000, said Labor was setting double standards.

"It is quite unique to see the red carpet rolled out on 171 occasions for unions to be able to see Labor ministers, and yet if business needs to see Labor, it is a case of Labor demanding 'ka ching' – the money being paid to see them at a business observers conference," Tim Nicholls said.

Mr Nicholls was referring to the number of meetings Labor ministers held with union representatives publicly declared in their own diaries.

A review of the diaries between February to July showed Ms Palaszczuk's ministers met with 614 industry and business stakeholders and 121 union representatives.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland Director of Advocacy Nick Behrens said the CCIQ would not pay to meet with government "or other political leaders" or donate to political parties to retain its independence.

The LNP has also continued its own cash for access events,- most famously its Q Forum events, where supporters can pay tens of thousands of dollars for a single event - but now, unless events cost under $1000, declares who attended, and for how much.