Business chiefs pay to party with Annastacia Palaszczuk

Queensland’s business elite have paid more than half a million dollars to attend a cocktail party on Wednesday night and a cash-for-access day of meetings with Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday. Picture: Dan Peled

Queensland’s business elite have paid more than half a million dollars to attend a cocktail party on Wednesday night and a cash-for-access day of meetings with Annastacia Palaszczuk and her cabinet to help raise money for federal Labor’s election campaign.

More than 60 companies, including banks, lobbyists, miners and industry groups have shelled out between $5500 and $11,000, with the campaign kitty further boosted by corporate sponsorships from Labor-leaning law firms and the Palaszczuk government’s go-to consultant, KPMG.

Telstra, Westpac, Clayton Utz, Tabcorp, Allianz Australia, Expedia, Ramsay Health and the Queensland Resources Council are among better-known companies that paid for access to the Labor Premier and her ministry

Ms Palaszczuk on Tuesday denied her ministry was taking “the day off” for the fundraising events at Brisbane’s Convention & Exhibition Centre, which will also hear via Skype from federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese at the cocktail party.

According to the event’s program, the entire state Labor cabinet will be spend the day attending the fundraiser on Thursday – which begins with a breakfast address from state Treasurer Cameron Dick and federal Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers – and includes a plate at the “Premier & cabinet lunch”.

Government staffers attending with their ministers – who will be delivering policy briefings and taking meetings with paid-up attendees – have been ordered to take a day off without pay.

Billed as the “Queensland Business Partnership Network” program, the event is part of a fundraising scheme selling ­access to decision-makers that had been banned by Queensland Labor for a decade before being ­revived by Ms Palaszczuk.

Companies pay $11,000 for membership of the program, which ensures an invitation to several events during the year, culminating in the cocktail party and day of meetings and “policy briefings” with ministers. It is the first time in years the cash-for-access fundraiser has not been tied to the annual ALP state conference, which is held on a weekend.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Palaszczuk did not answer a reporter’s question as to whether it was appropriate for her and the ministry to attend a fundraiser during a working week.

“They are not taking a full day off, no, they are not,’’ she said.

ALP state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell also defended the event. “Queensland Labor has been a leader in introducing some of the country’s strongest laws in relation to disclosure and transparency,’’ Ms Campbell said in a statement. “All disclosures are made in accordance with law.”

The cash-for-access fundraising technique has been employed by both sides of politics in Queensland, invoking allegations of favouritism to businesses that are involved.

Former Labor premier Anna Bligh banned it in 2009, weeks after corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald QC – who oversaw the 1987 inquiry into systemic police and political corruption – broke a 20-year silence to criticise the political practice where “access can now be purchased”.

Queensland’s Liberal National Party held a similar cash-for-access fundraiser at its weekend state conference in April. Dubbed the “corporate Observers Program” it included meetings with federal and state MPs – including federal minister Peter Dutton and state leader David Crisafulli – and cost between $3300 and $6600.

The Australian has previously revealed the state’s electoral watchdog is currently investigating the LNP over funds allegedly traced to property ­developers banned from political donations.