‘Banned’ Queensland political lobby firm’s clients flee

Queensland’s top Labor lobbying firm has been abandoned by 18 clients this year, sparking an influx of interstate lobbyists fighting to fill the void.

Anacta Strategies co-founder Evan Moorhead has turned his attention to Canberra after being blacklisted by Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Annette Dew

Queensland’s top Labor lobbying firm, whose co-founders have been blacklisted by Annastacia Palaszczuk after orchestrating her election victory, has been abandoned by 18 clients this year, sparking an influx of interstate lobbyists fighting to fill the void.

Anacta Strategies, founded by former ALP state secretary Evan Moorhead and David Nelson, has been haemorrhaging Queensland clients since Ms Palaszczuk banned the two men from doing business with her government for the remainder of her third term.

The Queensland Premier also cut ties with rival Labor lobbyist Cameron Milner, on recommendations from Professor Peter Coaldrake, who in a report condemned the practice of “dual-hatting” – lobbyists running political campaigns then profiting off the new ­government.

Mr Milner dismantled his firm, Next Level Strategic Services, run with former Howard government staffer David Moore, shortly after.

In his report, Professor Coaldrake said the growth in lobbying activity revealed “the failure of government itself to be able to deal with business and community interests without the involvement of a paid intermediary”.

Anacta set up shop in Canberra immediately after Anthony Albanese’s May election win.

Mr Nelson was head of Labor’s advertising buys during the campaign and was involved in strategy. He is not registered as a lobbyist in Queensland or Canberra.

The firm recently hired former ALP Brisbane councillor Victoria Newton as its new Queensland director and Christine Jackman, a former journalist who previously worked for Liberal-linked lobbying firm Crosby Textor, as communications director.

In a statement, an Anacta spokeswoman said the firm was “extremely proud of the contribution we made to the election of the Albanese Labor government”.

“It’s been good for Anacta’s campaigns and consulting business,” she said, noting the firm complies with lobbying regulations.

“Anacta will be opening more offices in other Australian capitals in the coming months.”

Mr Albanese’s office did not respond to questions about whether his government would continue to meet with Anacta given Mr Nelson’s campaign involvement.

Mr Milner has also sought to capitalise on Mr Albanese’s victory, registering a new lobbying firm in Canberra with former LNP state minister Scott Emerson.

Mr Milner’s new firm, GXO Strategies, which is not registered in Queensland, has hired Michael de Bruyn, a former Labor staffer and son of legendary union boss Joe de Bruyn, as a senior adviser.

The vacuum left by Mr Milner, Mr Moorhead and Mr Nelson after being blacklisted in July has triggered a surge of interest from interstate lobbyists. Steve Michelson, a former aide to Bill Shorten, is expanding into Brisbane. His firm, Michelson Alexander, has added four new Queensland clients since June.

Melbourne-based Mr Michelson told The Australian the firm had hired two Brisbane-based staff in the past month including Liberal Party federal executive member Nelson Savanh.

Eamonn Fitzpatrick, close to several high-profile Labor figures including Mr Albanese, Mr Shorten, Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, has also registered his firm in Queensland. Once dubbed by the Liberal National Party the “agent of infection”, Mr Fitzpatrick has listed one Queensland client since mid-July.

It is understood the Sydney-based lobbyist will focus on expanding his Canberra client list, given the change of government.

Ms Palaszczuk's former staffer, Nino Lalic, recently split from established lobbyist the SAS Group to start up his own firm, which signed its first Queensland client on Monday.