Ex-staffer’s lobbying within the rules, says Annastacia Palaszczuk

Annastacia Palaszczuk has backed her former top political adviser over the work of his new lobbying firm.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s former top political adviser Evan Moorhead. Picture: Annette Dew

Annastacia Palaszczuk has backed her former top political adviser Evan Moorhead over his new lobbying firm’s move to represent companies he dealt with while working in the Queensland Premier’s office just months ago.

Ms Palaszczuk on Tuesday ­refused opposition demands for an inquiry. It was revealed that start-up Anacta Strategies, half-owned by Mr Moorhead, who left the Premier’s office in May, is lobbying on behalf of the New Hope Group for state approval of a $900m expansion of the New Acland mine, west of Brisbane.

Mr Moorhead, a long-time ALP state secretary, and Labor-aligned political consultant David Nelson, set up the lobbying firm just months ago and already represent companies with several of the most politically sensitive projects in Queensland. Under the Integrity Act, lobbyists in Queensland are banned from “carrying out lobbying ­activities related to their official dealings as a government representative” for two years after leaving their taxpayer-funded job.

Ms Palaszczuk told parliament she was advised that Mr Moorhead had “received advice from Ministerial Services’’ when he left her office and that he was not personally dealing with New Hope.

On Monday, Mr Moorhead told The Australian he was being paid by New Hope, as an owner in the lobbying firm, and had received advice from Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov when he set up the firm in June.

But he conceded he had not sought advice specifically about taking clients with whom he had dealt while in government. “The obligations are that I can’t talk to government about New Hope and can’t disclose confidential information I have gotten while in government,’’ he said.

“I have done everything in compliance with the act.’’

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said there were ­“serious questions’’ about the Premier’s former top adviser “setting up a lobbying business within months of leaving her office’’.

The lobbyist’s register also shows Anacta Strategies declared last week it had secured the Downer group as its newest client. Ahead of the 2017 state election, Downer was awarded a $100m contract to fix trains.