Evan Moorhead’s Qld Labor lobbyist firm Anacta expands into Canberra

A Queensland lobbyist firm with links to Labor and Anthony Albanese’s election campaign is expanding into the national capital.

A Queensland lobbyist firm with ties to Labor and Anthony Albanese’s election campaign will expand its operations to Canberra in a bid to capitalise on its links with the new Government.

Anacta director Evan Moorhead, who is a former ALP state secretary, will lead the establishment of the firm’s operations in the nation’s capital.

It comes after Anacta’s campaign consultancy arm played a role in the newly elected Prime Minister’s campaign, advising on research, advertising, and strategy.

Mr Moorhead told The Sunday Mail the firm had planned to have a presence in the federal space since it opened in 2019, and suggested it now made sense for it to make the move.

“As a proud Labor firm, run by Labor people, we were thrilled with the result last Saturday (May 21),” Mr Moorhead said.

“It was also a great success for the specialist campaign consultancy arm of our business, led by (director) David Nelson, that advised on research, advertising and strategy throughout the campaign.

Evan Moorhead

“Labor’s advertising campaign has been widely regarded as one of the best in 20 years and David was pleased to be part of that team.”

While establishing the Canberra office, Mr Moorhead will be joined by his colleague Denise Spinks, who previously worked as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s deputy chief of staff.

Professor Peter Coaldrake’s interim report into the culture and accountability of the Queensland Government last month suggested there had been a “declining confidence” that governments are making the best decisions, rather than decisions influenced by those with the “most effective voice”.

“In Queensland recently, this has been accentuated by the dual roles of some lobbyists – acting for clients to influence government, then acting for political parties to help them win elections,” he wrote at the time.

Anacta has previously suggested that it doesn’t believe firms should be able to lobby governments at the same time they are working for governments on the same issues.

They have also indicated they welcome further regulation for lobbyists in Queensland.