Why Ekka is a no-go zone for Brisbane City Council
BRISBANE City Council has declined an invitation to hold a Civic Cabinet meeting at the Ekka amid fears the RNA Showgrounds could be a prohibited property developer donor.
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BRISBANE City Council has declined an invitation to hold a Civic Cabinet meeting at the Ekka amid fears the RNA Showgrounds could be a prohibited property developer donor.
Civic Cabinet meetings at the Ekka have been a longstanding annual tradition for decades, but Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said new laws banning developers from making political donations had created uncertainty.
He claimed 34 development applications undertaken on the RNA site in recent years could classify it as a developer, and therefore a prohibited donor under the legislation.
“No member of Civic Cabinet believes that drafters of the legislation ever envisaged an organisation such as the RNA being caught up in this matter, however, legal advice indicates this may be the case,” he told The Courier-Mail.
“Until such time as the legislation can be amended to remove the existing uncertainties and ambiguities, Civic Cabinet is unable to continue the longstanding tradition of holding its meeting onsite during the Ekka.”
The move from the council comes as the State Cabinet prepares to hold its meeting at the RNA Showgrounds today.
A spokesman for the Palaszczuk Government said it did not deem a State Cabinet meeting at the Ekka as a breach of the law. “The LNP obviously don’t either, or they wouldn’t have held their shadow cabinet meeting there last week,” he said. “Maybe Graham Quirk should talk to Deb Frecklington.”
The Palaszczuk Government introduced the developer donation ban this year following recommendations from the Crime and Corruption Commission.
The CCC had only recommended the ban apply to local councillors, but the Government decided to extend it to state politics as well.
The LNP recently lodged a challenge against the laws in the High Court.
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