Logan City Council corruption probe: Don Waters painting caught up in political donations probe

A SEEMINGLY innocuous painting of a busy boat scene has unexpectedly been caught up in a political donations corruption scandal engulfing a southeast Queensland council.

TITLED Slipway II, this painting of a busy boat scene has unexpectedly been caught up in the political donations corruption scandal engulfing Logan City Council.

It was donated by local artist Donald Waters to friend and long-time Logan councillor Russell Lutton during his successful 2016 re-election campaign.

Renowned for his bright, contemporary style, Waters’ works can easily fetch $5000 and up.

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He frequently donates artwork to charitable causes.

Given that, Waters said he happily handed over one of his “experimental” works to Mr Lutton in the weeks before the election.

Slipway II, the painting Logan councillor Russell Lutton was carrying from a house in Kingston.

That much is not contentious and Waters heard no more of the painting until May, when Mr Lutton – in the midst of a Crime and Corruption Commission probe into Logan councillors’ donations – updated his election funding return with the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Mr Lutton originally declared his sole donation was the Waters’ painting in February 2016.

However, his May disclosure showed he had received $10,800 from nine donors, including Springwood shopping centre owner Chin Hong Investments Corporation.

His update states Chin Hong paid $5000 in February 2016 at auction for a “Don Waters painting”.

Russell Lutton taking the painting out of a house in Kingston. Picture: AAP image, John Gass

In the latest twist, Mr Lutton was photographed by The Courier-Mail on Wednesday collecting the Slipway II painting from a house at which he had intermittently lived.

Mr Lutton this week refused to comment on the painting due to “legal matters”.

He did not respond to questions about why he had the painting.

The Courier-Mail previously revealed some donations declared by Mr Lutton in May were via a fundraiser at an Underwood Chinese diner tied to Springwood developer SKL Cables.

Suspended Logan mayor Luke Smith is defending a corruption charge which alleges he agreed to receive a power boat in return for assisting in progressing a development approval for SKL Cables, who have not commented on the claim.

Mr Lutton this week said council legal advice had cleared him of claims he had a conflict of interest in voting on Springwood planning issues that could potentially benefit some of his then undeclared donors.

Chin Hong Investments Corporation manager Jenshuo Wen confirmed it donated $5000 to Mr Lutton, but said he was unaware of the painting or the auction as he was overseas at the time.

The company also gave $33,800 to Mr Smith. Mr Wen said it had not discussed planning matters with Mr Smith before he was elected mayor in 2016. “We just want to see Logan do well,” he said.

The CCC yesterday said its investigation into Logan was ongoing.