Sarah Elks
Annastacia Palaszczuk has lunch with Graham Richardson, developer Lang Walker
G’day and welcome back to Feeding the Chooks, our weekly column looking behind the scenes of Queensland politics.
LUNCH WITH RICHO AND LANG
Former Labor NSW Senator Graham Richardson has popped up in Queensland for lunch with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and mega-developer Lang Walker.
Now, this is curious, because Richo – a columnist for The Australian – has recently become a registered lobbyist in the state, where lobbyists have been in the news a bit lately, if you haven’t noticed.
Richo is officially listed as a “special counsel” lobbyist for PremierNational – prominent Liberal party former NSW politician turned lobbyist Michael Photios’s outfit — in Queensland, where the firm has seven clients. But Walker Corp is not on the client list.
When Richardson’s new job was announced on March 31, Photios said: “The addition of Graham Richardson as Labor’s best-connected and experienced strategist in Australia to PremierNational, ensures we stay at the head of the pack in what is a highly competitive industry,” Photios said.
“The political landscape has shifted considerably since the onset of COVID-19. The pandemic saw not only the introduction of national cabinet but perhaps more importantly, underscored the wide range of powers available to state premiers.”
In Palaszczuk’s published ministerial diaries, Richo, Walker and Walker Group’s director of development and major projects Peter Saba met with Palaszczuk and unnamed senior ministerial staff on April 28.
The meeting is not acknowledged on the state’s lobbying register. Richardson says he wasn’t registered as a lobbyist until June 6, well after the lunch, and The Chooks has been told Richardson and his wife have long been friends with Palaszczuk.
Palaszczuk’s office says: “The meeting was to hear about Mr Walker’s investments in Queensland. Mr Richardson did not set up the meeting, was not there as a lobbyist and no lobbying took place.”
Walker Corp’s Queensland investments include the controversial $1.3bn Toondah Harbour precinct at the Redlands, at Cleveland about 30km south of Brisbane, and the $2.5bn Maroochydore City Centre development on the Sunshine Coast.
The developer’s media flack Nick Marshall-McCormack didn’t respond to The Chooks’ questions, nor did Photios’s firm.
The Chooks tried to confirm Richo’s registration date as a lobbyist with the Integrity Commissioner’s office, but were rebuffed, with acting Integrity Commissioner Mark Glen saying such information could be restricted under the Privacy Act.
So much for transparency.
Queensland Greens MP Michael Berkman – a vocal opponent of the Toondah Harbour development – was more forthcoming, if a tad critical. Berkman suggests the lunch – the month before the federal election – would be about more than “a bowl of chips and a chinwag”.
“Palaszczuk needs to explain why she was meeting with the proponent of one of the most controversial and destructive development proposals in Queensland.”
INTEGRITY SHUFFLE
Speaking of the Integrity Commission, who’s in charge at the office responsible for keeping an eye on lobbyists in the state?
Former Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov departed on July 4, and Premier Palaszczuk is yet to appoint a permanent replacement.
Instead, there’s a “dual acting integrity commissioner arrangement in place,” says Palaszczuk’s department.
“This is consistent with past practice and provides flexibility if a person is unavailable for a particular period.”
So that explains why The Chooks received responses from Mark Glen one week, and his fellow acting integrity commissioner Tony Keyes the following week.
Unfortunately, neither would provide the information we were seeking.
At this point, it’s worth remembering what Queensland public service reviewer Peter Coaldrake called his damning report into integrity, lobbying, the bureaucracy and the need for drastically more transparency in the state: “Let the sunshine in”.
LABOR RETREAT
There was one notable person left off the guest list for Annastacia Palaszczuk’s annual Labor love fest this week.
Former ALP state secretary Evan Moorhead – one of three men recently banned from lobbying the Queensland government – was not invited to the two-day talk fest on the Sunshine Coast.
Moorhead has attended Labor’s caucus retreats in the past, including one at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat ahead of the 2020 state election.
Instead, the 52-member Labor caucus heard from ALP national secretary Paul Erickson.
There were no team-building games or campfire sing-a-longs, only strategy and social media training … boring.
JOHNNY COMES TO TOWN
Former Liberal Party prime minister John Howard jetted to Brisbane this week to launch the memoir of retired businessman Ashley Goldsworthy.
Goldsworthy, who was the federal president of the Liberal Party between 1990 and 1993, has penned an autobiography Ordinary Bloke, Extraordinary Life which includes a foreword by Cardinal George Pell and introduction by Howard.
Goldsworthy has had about seven careers in his 85 years including Suncorp CEO, Jennings Industries boss (once Australia’s biggest home-builder) and Business dean at Bond University.
About 100 people packed into a room at the Brisbane Club on Tuesday for the launch. The crowd was made up of high-profile Brisbane Catholics, Goldsworthy’s friends and family (including his son, criminologist and former police officer Terry Goldsworthy), and Liberal party diehards keen to get a photo with Howard.
Guests included recently dumped senator Amanda Stoker, retired Supreme Court justice Martin Daubney (now chancellor at Australian Catholic University), Monsignor Peter Meneely and deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie.
Bleijie gushed on Facebook: “Catching up with my political hero JWH. He is the reason I joined the Young Liberals at 15 years of age.”
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Ten years tomorrow until the Brisbane 2032 Games. But who’s counting?
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