Corruption charge for leading developer

One of Queensland’s most successful developers has been charged with official corruption.

One of Queensland’s most successful property developers has been charged with corruption. Picture: istock

One of Queensland’s most successful developers has been charged with official corruption after he allegedly gave money, accommodation, travel and covered advertising for a city councillor vying to be mayor of the nation’s fastest-growing ­region.

Tosh Ordy Murphy, 62, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court earlier this week on a charge that alleges corrupt dealings with Moreton Bay regional councillor Adrian Raedel over a six-year period.

Mr Murphy heads ANH Dev­elopments, which has built housing and industrial estates throughout Queensland and is currently developing at least 13 resort, shopping and residential projects around the state.

The company has recently moved into childcare, opening more than 10 centres in the past few years.

Mr Raedel, 42, who had ­announced his intention to run for mayor in next year’s local ­government elections, has been suspended after he was also charged with official corruption in July by Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission.

According to the charge, Mr Murphy, who yesterday refused to comment, is alleged to have corruptly given a range of benefits to Mr Raedel between 2012 and 2018.

The CCC investigation was triggered by a series of reports in The Australian in March 2018 that alleged Mr Raedel had secretly lived rent-free at a property owned by Mr Murphy.

The home, which was not ­offered for sale on the open ­market, was later bought by Mr Raedel in a deal struck as a subdivision application on the house and neighbouring land was being finalised by the council.

Mr Raedel also allegedly failed to fully declare on his register of interest a sponsored 10-day business-class trip he took to China last year with the developer, a long-time donor.

The newspaper articles allege Mr Raedel had intervened on behalf of Mr Murphy over a recent town planning decision not to rezone land for his proposed “Narangba Community Shopping Precinct’’.

The charge alleges that Mr Murphy “corruptly did give a person, namely Adrian Raedel as the holder of the office of councillor, benefits, namely a sum of money, pre-paid travel, accommodation and advertising expenses on ­account of Adrian Raedel having in the discharge of the duties of his office advocated and pro­moted a Narangba development ­proposal.’’

In July Mr Raedel said he would defend the charge, which has a seven-year jail term.