Premier limits number of cash for access events she performs

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she does not like doing cash-for-access meetings and tries to limit the number she does.

At the Tony Fitzgerald lecture on Monday night, former Queensland Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo said electors’ trust in politicians was at an all-time low, taking aim at cash-for-access events to politicians, organised by the major parties.

Former Queensland Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo said electors’ trust in politicians was at an all-time low.

“Perhaps, like me, they have been watching Netflix’s fictional House of Cards,” she said.

“More likely, they are concerned about real issues such as the Palaszczuk government, despite its pledge before the last election to follow the Bligh government’s positive initiative, continuing to allow cash for access.

"Wealthy Queenslanders seeking government largesse pay substantial sums to attend functions with powerful politicians."

Former Labor premier Anna Bligh axed cash-for-access events, while LNP premier Campbell Newman allowed them under his government.

Ms Palaszczuk said she did not think people liked doing those types of events.

“Personally, I don’t like doing them, and I have limited the amount that I actually do,” she said.

“So I will go to a function that the party organises as part of their business program and essentially that’s about it.”

Asked if the events made her feel uncomfortable, Ms Palaszczuk said: “no, no”.

“I just think that, you know, we need to have the same rules right across the board."

Ms Palaszczuk said she was also happy to have a look at the principles of political mentioned by corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald at the lecture.

Mr Fitzgerald said some things had not changed, including "reckless politicians" endangering the state's natural assets, including the Great Barrier Reef, in the interests of their supporters.

It comes a day after Ms Palaszczuk was questioned over whether political cash for access meetings should be banned.

On Monday, Ms Palaszczuk said political parties did need to raise money but all donations to the Labor Party were declared to the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

“In relation to events, in this day and age, parties do need to raise funds, but I don’t believe that the practice is widespread,” she said.