Qld council elections: Unions donate more than $200k to Labor ahead of by-elections and council elections
The scale of donations to Queensland Labor by unions ahead of this weekend’s two state by-elections and council elections has been revealed.
QLD Council Elections
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QUEENSLAND Labor has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from unions in recent months ahead of this weekend’s two state by-elections and council elections.
The latest figures from the ECQ show over $200,000 has been donated to the party by unions since December 1.
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This included a $36,805 donation from the United Workers Union, a $25,000 donation from the CFMEU and a number of donations from the Transport Workers Union.
It comes as voters head to the ballot box in the Bundamba and Currumbin by-elections this Saturday, as well as the party-political Brisbane City Council elections.
The latest figures from the ECQ show the LNP has received about $1.3 million in reconciled and unreconciled donations since December 1 ahead of this weekend’s round of elections.
Queensland Labor has received about $642,000 over the same period, according to the figures.
This would not include donations that do not meet the relevant disclosure threshold.
When asked how much of his mayoral campaign and Labor’s council campaign had been funded by union donations, Labor’s Patrick Condren did not say.
Queensland Labor state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell said that the Labor Party had funded the advertising for the campaign.
“Queensland has been a leader in introducing some of the country’s strongest laws in relation to disclosure and transparency,” she said.
“All disclosures are made in accordance with those laws.”
ECQ data also shows Labor has disclosed about $329,000 in expenditure for the current council elections.
The LNP has disclosed about $770,000, according to the figures.
Political parties must disclose during the campaign electoral expenditure of $500 or more.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Mr Condren should say who was paying for his campaign’s advertising, which has included television ads.
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