Gold Coast Election 2016: Independent candidates call for review into donations and use of developer lobbyist

CANDIDATES are calling for a review into potential corruption of the electoral process after a funded bloc of LNP aligned candidates emerged from the Gold Coast City Council elections.

Simone Holzapfel, former media adviser to Tony Abbott – she now runs Shac Communications.

CANDIDATES are calling for a review of the election process after it was revealed nearly a third of the new council received campaign advice from LNP donor and big business lobbyist Simone Holzapfel.

The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday asked all councillors to declare any links with Ms Holzapfel’s company Shac Communications after an article divulged she had managed the election campaigns of Mayor Tom Tate and Surfers Paradise councillor Gary Baildon.

Simone Holzapfel with Mayor Tom Tate and his chief of staff Wayne Moran in the mayor’s office in 2013.

Ms Holzapfel, who works with some of the city’s biggest developers, personally gave $114,000 to Coast LNP MP Stuart Robert’s Fadden Forum ahead of the 2013 federal election and yesterday admitted she continued to financially support the party.

But yesterday she told the Gold Coast Bulletin she had done nothing wrong.

Ms Holzapfel defended her right to make personal donations, provide commercial ­services and to seek advice from the Integrity Commissioner before working on the campaigns.

Mr Robert this week admitted his Fadden Forum gave $30,000 each to council candidates Kristyn Boulton and Felicity Stevenson to thwart the Labor Party gaining a foothold in the northern suburbs.

Cr Boulton and Cr Pauline Young, who beat incumbent Greg Betts in Burleigh, both told the Gold Coast Bulletin they used Shac Communications during their campaigns.

All the other councillors denied having used Ms Holzapfel, except former planning boss and high-profile LNP member Cameron Caldwell who finally returned phone calls at 6.30pm and declined to answer.

Former Young LNP leader Hermann Vorster, who has faced criticism for using party members on his campaign, strongly denied any links with the lobbyist.

Former long-time councillor Eddy Sarroff, who was beaten by Ms Boulton in the run for Division 4, yesterday told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “It is very serious. I’m aware of other candidates who feel there should be a thorough investigation.

“The community has been misled. There’s been a breach of the electoral process. I intend to make inquiries further (with the Local Government Minister).”

Kristyn Boulton is the councillor for Division 4.

Candidate disclosure returns to the Queensland Electoral Commission must be completed by next month and, aside from donations, there is a requirement to report “group backing” by political parties.

The Gold Coast Bulletin first reported the emergence of a new bloc at council aligned to the LNP and Mayor Tom Tate early last month.

The article revealed four new councillors – Boulton, Young, Gail O’Neill and Vorster – held a secret meeting to discuss budget measures.

Cr Tate later joked about the significance of the group meeting in private.

But the pre-election donation trail and securing of a public relations company shows how entrenched the LNP was in the local government election.

Councillor Pauline Young. Photo: Jerad Williams

When asked yesterday to confirm if she had employed Ms Holzapfel’s company, Shac Communications, for paid communications and design work, Cr Boulton replied: “Yes I did. I believe she is very good at what she does and her company Shac has a great reputation.

“I wanted to win, so I sought out the very best in the business.

“Why wouldn’t I? Campaigning is tough and you need to seek professional ­advice sometimes.”

Cr Boulton maintains she and her husband ran the campaign with the back-up of 20 “core supporters”.

“So we only needed professional services of a designer for my communications,” she said.

Cr Young confirmed she also used Shac Communications, but would not go into the details of the deal.

Council candidate signage at the Helensvale Library pre-polling venue during the 2016 election. Picture: David Clark

“Yes, I did employ Shac Communications,” Cr Young said.

“That information is a matter between myself and Shac Communications and I believe it was the best professional advice.”

Mudgeeraba-based city councillor Glenn Tozer, who had a fierce contest against Ted Shepherd in his Hinterland division, said he received a telephone call from Ms Holzapfel during the campaign.

“I received a phone call from Holzapfel. No further contact was made

subsequent to that conversation,” he said.