Queensland Labor caught out by its own donation ban
CONTROVERSIAL laws passed by the Queensland Government have now caught out the Labor Party itself.
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LABOR has been caught by its own Government’s developer donation ban, with both the ALP and the LNP repaying several thousands of dollars in electoral gifts, new figures show.
The Courier-Mail can reveal both Labor and the LNP have informed the Electoral Commission of Queensland they have paid back donations ahead of last night’s deadline before penalties, including fines, kick in under the new Act.
It comes as the latest ministerial diaries show Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Cabinet ministers held up to 18 meetings each with more than 50 businesses and lobby groups at its annual state conference in September as part of Labor’s business observers program.
Those businesses and groups added at least $250,000 to the party’s coffers in the weeks before and after the conference, through subscription fees and conference attendance fees.
They included energy companies, health companies and law firms, among others, with some ministers listing their ministerial advisers as being present.
The Government’s developer donation ban was flagged last year just before the state election but only officially kicked in on October 2 after the ECQ was given time to prepare.
It was made retrospective meaning any donations received from October 12 last year are captured.
It can be revealed Labor had repaid two donations by yesterday afternoon, totalling about $6500, while the LNP had repaid four donations worth about $8360.
The LNP repaid a $5000 donation from property developer Ilwella Pty Ltd that it also received during the state election campaign as well as two donations totalling $2360 from Ausde Migration and Investment Group which were received earlier this year. It has also returned a $1000 gift from GOA Billboards with the status of that donor under the new developer donation regime being checked.
Neither party is in breach of the laws, having paid back the cash.
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