Ex-Labor minister Kate Jones quits lobbying firm Akin Agency amid integrity questions raised by LNP

Former Palaszczuk minister Kate Jones has resigned from a public affairs company amid calls for an investigation over links between the Labor heavyweight and the lobbying firm.

Former state development minister Kate Jones. Picture: Liam Kidston

Former Minister Kate Jones has resigned from lobbying firm Akin Agency as Premier Steven Miles asked the state’s Integrity Commissioner to investigate whether he had complied with rules surrounding business meetings held with his ex-Cabinet colleague.

In a statement, Ms Jones - an ARLC commissioner and former state development Minister - said she had not been “employed as a lobbyist (at Akin Agency), and was not paid to undertake lobbying activity”, but would cease working for the firm.

“I commenced doing some part-time strategic communications and media work for public affairs company Akin Agency last year,” Ms Jones said.

“While I was engaged to provide professional services relating to strategic communications and media advice, I have today (Tuesday) advised Akin Agency that I will step down from undertaking any further work for the agency as I do not want this work to be an ongoing distraction for my other board responsibilities and charitable work.”

Ms Jones’ work for the lobbying and public relations firm - which was set up just a few days before the resignation of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk - had prompted calls from the LNP for Integrity Commissioner Linda Waugh to investigate the influence of the Labor factional heavyweight.

Ms Jones, who resigned from parliament shortly before the 2020 election, was widely understood to have been involved in whipping up support for Mr Miles to ensure he would replace Ms Palaszczuk in the top job.

The Premier told parliament on Tuesday he had written to Ms Waugh to ask her to check he had complied with rules surrounding the disclosure of three business meetings he had attended with his former colleague and “friend” since she left parliament.

“I have asked her to confirm that the steps I have taken comply with all the legal requirements,” he said.

“If there are any further steps that I should have taken in relation to those meetings then I will of course take them.

“I take my responsibilities under all of the acts very seriously. All appropriate business meetings are disclosed in my diary, but if there are other requirements that the Integrity Commissioner suggests to ensure that we are achieving the highest level of integrity expected of us then, of course, I will do so.”

LNP integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson accused the government of being “addicted to Labor lobbying firms”, and said nothing had been learnt from Professor Peter Coaldrake’s landmark integrity review.

“If you needed more evidence that this government has walked away from integrity, you need to look no further than how cosy Labor is,” she said.

“The stage-managed resignation of Kate Jones – is she a lobbyist, isn’t she a lobbyist, well she’s a professional consultant working for a lobbyist – is just more evidence that this government has learned nothing.

“(Ms Jones resigned) only after the media had revealed her links and meetings with this government as a special consultant.

“The Premier still has serious questions to answer. I have asked the Integrity Commissioner to investigate how deep these lobbying relationships go within this government.

“The Coaldrake review exposed the dodgy, rotten behaviour of this government, and it is clear nothing has changed under Premier Steven Miles.”