Cameron Dick maintains pressure on David Crisafulli over alleged LNP donor links

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has been sensationally branded a liar by Treasurer Cameron Dick over his unexplained conduct as a director of a failed training organisation.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli (left) in Cairns with LNP candidate for Barron River Bree James, aspiring homeowner and BLVE gym owner Kai Pue and partner Neisha Elkins, and LNP candidate for Cairns Yolonde Entsch. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has been sensationally branded a liar by Treasurer Cameron Dick over his unexplained conduct as a director of a failed training organisation.

In a major escalation of attacks on Mr Crisafulli two months before a state election the LNP leader is expected to win, Mr Dick claimed he had lied when denying links between the training company SET Solutions and LNP donors.

Mr Crisafulli was grilled on August 16 about why he paid $200,000 to creditors while director of SET Solutions.

Asked whether there were any links between the company and the LNP, or donors, or “anything like that”, Mr Crisafulli replied, “No.”

Court transcripts from a public examination into the company’s failure revealed Townsville entrepreneur Rabieh Krayem owned half of SET Solutions when Mr Crisafulli was appointed in December 2015.

Donation registers dating back to 2012 also show the Humanis Group Limited, now called Bluestone, donated thousands to the LNP while Mr Krayem was director.

Treasurer Cameron Dick on Wednesday. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The Opposition Leader’s office argues Mr Crisafulli was not asked specifically about Mr Krayem’s donation history.

Mr Crisafulli reiterated that he met his obligations as director and that there had been no findings of wrongdoing against him.

He denied being asked a straight question two weeks prior.

“I was asked a very specific question, and I urge you to go and have a look at the answer,” he said.

Mr Dick – who has led the government’s attack on the popular LNP leader – maintains Mr Crisafulli “lied to journalists”.

“When he was asked directly by a journalist whether there are any links between donors and his appointment as a director of SET Solutions, he said, quote: No,” Mr Dick said.

“That’s a lie, pure and simple.”

The Opposition Leader was in the role for four months between December 2015 and April 2016 before the company collapsed that June, owing creditors $3m.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Crisafulli, who has repeatedly said he met his obligations as a director.