Bundaberg council candidates record thousands in campaign donations, gifts

Thousands of dollars have been donated to the Bundaberg Regional Council candidates’ campaigns as the countdown to the 2024 election starts.

Revealed: Donations to Bundaberg councillors and Jack Dempsey - who made them and how much they were.

Thousands of dollars have already been donated to candidates for the Bundaberg Regional Council as the weeks count down to the 2024 election.

Candidates are required to lodge any financial gifts with the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Candidates are also required to disclose gifts and loans worth more than $500 within seven business days.

Donations have already begun rolling in for candidates.

Mayoral candidate Jack Dempsey has declared a $500 donation lodged on January 25 from former chief of staff Michael Gorey, a donation which has been described to go towards “website redevelopment” according to the ECQ website. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing.

Mr Gorey’s ties to Mr Dempsey have been under the spotlight for several years following his employment as the incumbent mayor’s chief of staff in January 2021.

Documents released under right to information in June 2021 revealed concerns had been raised over the appointment while he still had administrator access to Bundaberg council’s own online news source, Bundaberg Now, and its Facebook page.

Mayoral candidate Jack Dempsey has recorded a donation from former chief of staff Michael Gorey.

In 2021, the then federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher expressed concerns over the council-run publication.

“It is troubling that this publication is presented to give the impression of being an independent news organisation when in fact it is fully funded by the Bundaberg Regional Council and its coverage of the mayor and the council verges on hagiographic”,” he said in a letter of response sent to the Queensland Country Press Association.

In April 2022, Mr Gorey took leave to head up Mr Dempsey’s federal election campaign as an independent.

It emerged during the campaign that Mr Gorey had assisted Mr Dempsey with the creation of Mr Dempsey’s JackForHinkler campaign website.

Mr Gorey said at the time the work done on the website did not rely on council resources and was done “in his own time” and “with his own resources”.

He left the role and the council in August 2022.

Mayoral candidate Helen Blackburn has also registered a donation from the Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance Ltd, a group with ties to the Bundaberg Canegrowers Association, the Peanut Company of Australia and the Bundaberg Regional Irrigators Group.

The $2000 donation lodged on November 9, 2023 marks the most generous gift recorded for a council candidate so far.

Mayoral Helen Blackburn has recorded a generous donation from the Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance Ltd.

On December 14, 2023 Steve Cooper also recorded a self-funded donation from a joint account shared with his wife Diane Cooper to the value of $420.

The ECQ states that candidates do not have to disclose the funds they move from their personal account to their election account.

“However, funds from a joint bank account held with a spouse or other person are not considered personal funds,” and ECQ spokesman said when speaking on the 2020 election.

“They should be disclosed as being gifts from the other account holders.”

Jason Bartels has also registered two donations to the value of $222.48 by wife Jillian to go towards “website hosting renewal for Cr Jason Bartels’ website”.

Greg Barnes also received a donation on January 1, 2024 for “website and graphic artist services” to the value of $500 from Annie McGrath at Studio 4:43.

This article will be updated as further donations are recorded with the ECQ.