Former Brisbane mayor Jim Soorley named in lobbying complaint
A lobbying scandal embroiling the Palaszczuk government on the eve of the election has deepened, with a complaint sent to corruption officials about money paid to a former Brisbane mayor to lobby Transport Minister Mark Bailey and then-deputy premier Jackie Trad.
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A lobbying scandal embroiling the Palaszczuk Government on the eve of the election has deepened with a second complaint to corruption officials about its dealings with Labor heavyweight Jim Soorley.
The Courier-Mail can reveal that seafood restaurant owner Neil Jedid has gone to the Crime and Corruption Commission over claims he paid Mr Soorley $2500 cash through the window of the former Lord Mayor’s BMW in the venue’s carpark for him to lobby Transport Minister Mark Bailey and then-Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, despite Mr Soorley not being a registered lobbyist at the time.
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The State Opposition also complained to the CCC about the unregistered lobbying claims.
As revealed by the newspaper last month, Mr Jedid has launched court action alleging he handed the cash to Mr Soorley in March 2018 after he agreed to lobby the Government for a long-term lease over state-owned land his Wilsons Boathouse restaurant occupied at Manly.
Mr Jedid alleges in the Brisbane Magistrates Court claim that Mr Soorley had purported to be a lobbyist and promised to contact Ms Trad and Mr Bailey to push for the long-term lease.
He is now fighting to claw back the money, alleging Mr Soorley engaged in “deceptive” conduct as he was not a registered lobbyist at the time and was therefore barred from working as a third-party lobbyist.
Mr Soorley, a former Catholic priest and Lord Mayor up until 2003, deregistered as a lobbyist in 2015 upon being appointed chair of state-owned CS Energy under the new Labor administration.
The Integrity Act bans third-party lobbying by unregistered entities, while board members of state-owned companies are barred from lobbying under a longstanding policy.
Mr Soorley has previously strenuously denied the claim, saying he had “never done any lobbying since I came off the lobbyist register,” while Ms Trad says she was “not lobbied on this matter by anyone.”
She said the only person to raise the issue with her was Mr Jedid himself at a mid-2018 event, and she removed herself from the conversation as the matter was outside her ministerial responsibilities.
Mr Bailey has confirmed Mr Soorley “asked” him about Mr Jedid’s issue, but said he told him it was a matter between Mr Jedid and his department.
In his CCC complaint, Mr Jedid alleges Mr Soorley told him he had contacted Mr Bailey in August 2018.
Mr Jedid says a plan was hatched for his restaurant to officially correspond with Mr Bailey’s department to “spark a dialogue”.
He claims Mr Soorley also promised to “open the door” by contacting Ms Trad.
Mr Jedid claims Mr Soorley later told him he had spoken to Ms Trad and agreed to deal with her caucus liaison officer.
Ms Trad did not comment on the claim yesterday, but repeated her earlier statement denying she was lobbied on the issue.
Mr Jedid’s CCC complaint includes copies of emails from Mr Soorley to Mr Jedid in March 2018, including one suggesting the wording of a letter to the department on the lease issue.
Another email to Mr Jedid states: “NEIL. I FINALLY GOT HOLD OF THE DG DIRECT EMAIL. Send it here. Jim”. It included an email address for Transport Director-General Neil Scales.
An email the same day states: “IF THIS LETTER HAS NIOT BEEN SENT THEN IGT SHOULD BE SENT….JIM (sic).”
Mr Scales is not accused of any wrongdoing.
In his CCC complaint, Mr Jedid claims Mr Soorley complained in October 2018 that the “lobbying tasks were harder than anticipated” and asked for a further $20,000, which would be refunded if he was unsuccessful.
He told the CCC he refused to pay the money.
Mr Soorley did not respond to requests for comment on the CCC complaint yesterday.
Mr Jedid’s CCC complaint also includes a copy of a text message he claims was sent to him by Labor MP Peter Russo stating: “I told Jim that you should have sent a legal letter to the department.”
Mr Russo yesterday refused to comment, saying it was “confidential.”
A CCC spokesman said it was making inquiries, but declined to comment further.
Mr Jedid told the newspaper he had received an eviction notice soon after making inquiries with the Office of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner, seeking details of when Mr Soorley had de-registered as a lobbyist, in the lead up to lodging his court claim.
He said the 18-year-old restaurant closed on Sunday after the state struck an agreement with another tenant, which he says was for less rent than he had been paying.