Bounty for Queensland ALP in cash for access

Queensland Labor raked in at least $300,000 through cash payments that secured access to ministers at its state conference.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gave her blessing for the ALP to restart the Business Observers Program this year. Picture: Jack Tran

Queensland Labor raked in at least $300,000 through cash payments that secured access to ministers at last month’s state conference, after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk backed the revival of the controversial Business Observers Program.

The Australian can reveal the Premier met executives from Suncorp, recruitment and human resources consultancy Davidson Recruitment, lobby group Clubs Queensland, and employment services company MAX Solutions at the weekend-long event.

It marks the first time a Queensland Labor government has participated in the fundraising practice since it was axed by former premier Anna Bligh in 2009, after an investigation by The Australian into government integrity.

Queensland Labor, with Ms Palaszczuk’s blessing, reheated the Business Observers Program this year, with more than 60 businesses and industry groups paying at least $5000 each to schmooze at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre event. The basic package included a cocktail function, business lunch, business dinner with Bill Shorten, exclusive tickets to Ms Palaszczuk’s keynote address to Labor delegates, and, most importantly, one-on-one meetings with cabinet ministers.

Clubs Queensland chief executive Doug Flockhart said his $5000 (plus GST) ticket secured 10-minute, face-to-face meetings with Ms Palaszczuk, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, Treasurer Curtis Pitt, and Sports Minister Bill Byrne. He could not get a meeting with Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath, he said.

“You’d be lucky to achieve that many meetings within six months,” Mr Flockhart told The Australian.

He said he spoke to Ms Palaszczuk about his concerns over Labor’s proposed 1am-lockout for pubs and clubs, and talked to Mr Pitt about taxation issues, and Mr Byrne about sport.

MAX Solutions executive general manager of strategy Darren Hooper met Ms Palaszczuk on the Saturday, but a company spokeswoman said the discussions were “in-confidence”. The business delivers housing and employment programs in Ipswich, Capalaba and Bundaberg for the Queensland government.

A spokesman for the Premier’s office said the Business ­Observers Program was a “matter for the party”.

Ms Palaszczuk’s 14-minister cabinet was kept even busier during the conference weekend, particularly on the Saturday when meetings were held. Ms Trad — whose super-portfolio includes transport, infrastructure, local government, planning and trade — held 15 meetings, including with Metro Property Development, gambling company Tatts Group, and agribusinesses including flour miller and ethanol creator Manildra. She also met Weimin Xu, the managing director of Wanda Ridong, the Chinese property development company backing the $970m Jewel development at Surfers Paradise.

Mr Pitt held 14 meetings, including with representatives from Wilmar Sugar, insurers Allianz and Wanda Ridong.

Ms D’Ath met 13 different groups, including gambling companies Tatts Group and Tabcorp, the head of the Queensland Resources Council, and Echo Entertainment’s general manager of corporate affairs Alison Smith. The Queensland government had the previous month awarded the multi-billion-dollar rights to develop the Queens Wharf casino project to Echo.

Tourism, Education, Major Events, Small Business and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones also met with Echo and 12 other business groups, including KPMG, the Pharmacy Guild and Village Roadshow Theme Parks.

Queensland Labor state secretary Evan Moorhead said the program was open and transparent. The attendees, their donations and meetings with ministers were publicly declared, he said. Not-for-profit organisations, such as Youngcare and Teach for Australia, did not have to pay a fee to attend and participate. “We’re keen to have relationships with the business community,” Mr Moorhead said.

Similar programs are run at the ALP federal conference, and at Liberal National Party state conferences. The LNP is reluctant to disclose attendees to its secretive Q Forum networking events, or how much the practice rakes in for the party.

The revived Business Observers Program is part of Queensland Labor’s “Queensland Progressive Business Network”, for which subscribers pay $5000 or $10,000 for different levels of access, including the opportunity to attend eight “boardroom-style” lunches or dinners, and the end-of-year cocktail party.

Labor this year reduced the disclosure threshold for political donations to $1000, meaning all money raised through these fundraising events is publicly disclosed. The Newman government had hiked the threshold to $12,800.