Crime and Corruption Commission to subpoena at least nine Queensland councillors

UPDATE: Queensland’s corruption watchdog has released a list of high-profile witnesses, including a Federal MP, who will be grilled during public hearings as part of an investigation into last year’s local elections.

QUEENSLAND’S corruption watchdog has released a list of high-profile witnesses, including Federal MP Stuart Robert and Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland, who will be grilled during public hearings next month as part of an investigation into last year’s local elections.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale to quit amid CCC probe

The Crime and Corruption Commission have confirmed nine people have been subpoenaed to appear before the hearings as part of Operation Belcarra, which has been probing the conduct of candidates from last year’s Gold Coast, Moreton Bay and Ipswich local elections.

Federal MP Stuart Robert has been subpoenaed to appear before the CCC hearing. Picture: Jack Tran

The CCC announced the inquiry last year to probe possible “corrupt conduct” involving the elections and this week announced that public hearings would be held from April 18 to 20.

Mr Robert, a former veterans affairs and human services minister, was dumped from the Turnbull Ministry in February last year for breaching ministerial standards over a controversial business trip to China.

After the March 31 council election, it was alleged that he had funnelled about $70,000 in LNP campaign funds from his Fadden Forum fundraising arm to three candidates, including two of his electoral office staffers, who were standing as so-called independents.

Mr Robert has denied any wrongdoing.

One of his former staffers, Kristyn Boulton, was elected to the Gold Coast council and has also been summonsed to appear at the CCC hearing.

Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland and Ipswich deputy mayor Paul Tully have also been called as witnesses.

LNP-aligned Gold Coast PR consultant Simone Holzapfel, who has worked on campaigns for candidates including Mayor Tom Tate, will also be among the witnesses.

EARLIER: Ipswich candidates expected to be called to CCC hearing

At least two Ipswich candidates from the 2016 council elections are expected to be subpoenaed to appear before the Crime and Corruption Commission public hearing.

The public hearing will investigate the conduct of candidates from Ipswich, Gold Coast and Moreton Bay at the local government elections. The Queensland Times understands at least five candidates from the Gold Coast and two from Moreton Bay will also be subpoenaed.

It is understood the Ipswich candidates expected to be subpoenaed have received calls from the CCC.

Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Alan MacSporran will preside over the public hearing as part of the investigation into the 2016 Ipswich local government elections. Picture: Mark Cranitch

PROBE: CCC to hold public hearing into 2016 Gold Coast elections

Last year Ipswich councillors and a wide cross section of candidates received letters from the CCC asking for information about the running of their campaigns. The CCC public hearing will investigate whether candidates operated or fundraised as an undeclared group, or as a cabal.

Among other matters, the hearing will also examine whether candidates provided an electoral funding and financial disclosure return that was false and misleading, and whether candidates operated a dedicated bank account for funds related to the campaign, which is required by law.

The CCC investigation is understood to be centred around joint how-to-vote cards and electoral funding.

Witness lists for the CCC public hearing will be on the organisation’s website in the lead-up to the hearings to be held from April 18-21 and April 26-28.