Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli and councillor Joe Natoli referred for electoral investigation

The Sunshine Coast mayor and her councillor husband are being investigated over claims they might have received campaign donations from property developers.

Cr Joe Natoli and Rosanna Natoli are both running for Sunshine Coast Council at the 2024 local government election in March.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli and her councillor husband Joe have been referred for an electoral investigation over claims they might have received campaign donations from property developers.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has begun an investigation into the untested allegations after a referral from the Crime and Corruption Commission.

It follows a complaint earlier this year from Sunshine Coast retiree Geoff Lynch, an ally of former Wallabies coach John “Knuckles” Connolly who stood unsuccessfully against Joe Natoli in the March council elections.

The complaint alleged the Natolis had received thousands of dollars in donations from Sunshine Coast Indian community identity, orthodontist and alleged developer Vas Srinivasan, his wife and associates.

The Srinivasans, who are not accused of wrongdoing, have declined to comment.

Mr Lynch alleged the donations were in breach of laws introduced by the former Palaszczuk government banning donations from developers.

Sunshine Coast Lord Mayor Rosanna Natoli and her husband Joe are alleged to have received thousands of dollars in donations from Sunshine Coast Indian community identity, orthodontist and alleged developer Vas Srinivasan, his wife and associates. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The ban, which followed a CCC inquiry into hefty developer donations at the 2016 local government elections, was upheld by the High Court in 2019 after an unsuccessful LNP challenge.

Among other lines of inquiry, the commission has to determine whether the source of the donations to the Natolis falls within the definition of a developer under the Local Government Electoral Act.

Rosanna Natoli, a former Channel 7 presenter, won the $250,000-a-year mayoralty following the retirement of long-serving council leader Mark Jamieson.

She beat opponents Ashley Robinson and Jason O’Pray in a hard-fought contest that came down to preferences to join her husband in council.

Joe Natoli, the councillor for Maroochydore-based Division 4, won his second term in office at the March election after previously serving as Maroochy Shire mayor.

Electoral returns sent to the CCC as part of Mr Lynch’s complaint show Ms Natoli received four campaign donations of $2500 each from Dr Srinivasan, his father and mother Arumugam and Kalavathi, and his wife Christine Valentine.

The donations, all made last December, were followed by two more in February of $495 each from Arumugam Srinivasan.

Screenshot of Rosanna Natoli interviewing Vas Srinivasan when she was a reporter for Channel 7. Source: Facebook.

Mr Lynch’s complaint includes company searches linking Dr Srinivavasan to companies allegedly behind development applications for sites at Parrearra, Nirimba and Urangan.

In 2022, plans were lodged with the council for a redevelopment of Dr Srinivasan’s Invisible Orthodontics practice on Nicklin Way at Parrearra, involving an eight-unit apartment building and a food outlet on neighbouring blocks.

Mr Natoli’s 2020 election returns, which were also submitted as part of Mr Lynch’s complaint, revealed he received $1000 from Ms Valentine for that campaign.