The Queensland business leaders who have the ear of the Newman Government

There are at least 20 business chiefs from around the state who enjoy a good relationship with George Street. Who are they?

There are at least 20 business chiefs in the state who enjoy a good relationship with George St.

LINKS between Queensland's business community and the Newman Government will become increasingly important this year as a raft of asset sales and major deals, including a multi-billion dollar casino redevelopment, hang in the pipeline.

So who are the state's major powerbrokers? Those who command the respect of politicians and can gain access to them.

Well there are at least 20 business chiefs from around the state who enjoy a good relationship with George St.

They are not the wealthiest business leaders in the state, not the Chris Wallins or John Van Lieshouts of the world, but rather the most influential, particularly in government circles.

They are the people Premier Campbell Newman would personally take a phone call from if his executive assistant advised him it was urgent. Not that he would be swayed by what they say.

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As lobbyist and China expert Greg Rudd put it: "The Premier may take phone calls from numerous business chiefs but that does not mean he is influenced by them. He is a military man and runs his own show.''

Mark Brodie from Gladstone Port heads a list of people that could be considered powerbrokers in the state. They have the ear of government and are also successful in their endeavours in the business world.

Mr Brodie, a personal friend of Newman, currently chairs the Gladstone Port Authority, National Retail Association, the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation and previously served as chairman of the Lord Mayor's Business Round Table which the Premier established in early 2013.

Mr Brodie is also the chairman of the Greater Brisbane Area Consultative Committee, director on the Brisbane Marketing Board and the Southbank Corporation Board and both Chapter Chairman and Education Chairman of the Young Presidents Organisation (Qld Chapter).

Others to make the list include former Deputy Under Treasurer Tony Bellas, who is now chairman of ERM Power and Corporate Travel Management. Mr Bellas knows his way around George Street well, having been instrumental in the creation of Suncorp, and former CEO of Ergon, CS Energy and Seymour Group.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk is also a fan of the business round table model. Cr Quirk's confidants includes his director of strategy Greg Bowden and Newman's adviser, Ben Myers.

Also on the Quirk round table are Steve Jones, from Jones, Lang La Salle; Grant Dennis, from the Dennis Family Corporation; Neill Ford, from Yellow Cabs; Geoff Rodgers, from Rowland; and Dean Wanless from Wanless Wastecorp.

Others considered close to the State Government are former Liberal Senator Santo Santoro, QIC's Damien Frawley, Ord Minnett chairman Karl Morris, Jones Lang Lasalle's Stephen Conry, BMD's Mick Power and Nigel Chamier, now chairman of the Commonwealth Games Committee.

Another entrant is comeback kid, Mark Stockwell, who was unceremoniously dumped as chairman of the Commonwealth Games but has recently emerged as chairman of Trade and Investment Queensland. His deputy, Geoffrey Thomas, is also listened to at George Street.

One of Queensland's more well-known company directors, Jim Kennedy, concedes that relationships between business and politics had changed.

"Twenty years ago carpet baggers got close to Premiers or others. If the Premier went overseas they also went. We don't have the white shoe brigade today and it is a different world and there is a much closer relationship between politics and business than there used to be,'' Mr Kennedy said.