LNP cleared in probe of illegal donor payments

Queensland’s electoral watchdog says it has found no evidence the Liberal National Party received banned donations from developers.

Former Queensland opposition leader Deb Frecklington. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland’s electoral watchdog says it has found no evidence the Liberal National Party received banned donations from developers at a series of fundraising events ahead of the 2020 state election.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland launched an official investigation after it emerged that fundraisers, some held in private homes, were attended by developers, who are prohibited from giving political donations for state and local government campaigns.

The fundraisers were allegedly organised without the authority of the LNP office, which referred the events to the ECQ for investigation in 2020.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton and then state opposition leader Deb Frecklington were among guest speakers at some events investigated by the ECQ.

Top LNP officials were interviewed during the 18-month investigation over the fundraisers, understood to have raised more than $150,000.

The ECQ, after being approached by The Australian about the status of the investigation, issued a statement saying the probe had been completed last year and no further action was being taken.

“In 2021, the ECQ concluded an investigation into potential breaches of the prohibited donor laws by the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP), and some of its elected members,’’ the ECQ said in a statement.

“The investigation involved the examination of various fundraising events held in the lead-up to, and during, the 2020 state general election.

“The investigation found that while persons involved in property development did attend the events, there is no evidence that they made political donations.

“Property developers are welcome to attend political events, so long as, in doing so, they do not make a prohibited donation. The ECQ has not referred any relevant prosecution brief to the DPP ­(Director of Public Prosecutions).’’

The Palaszczuk government introduced a ban in 2018 on developer donations in state politics in an extension of a recommendation by the Crime and Corruption Commission to prohibit developers from financially supporting candidates across Queensland city councils.

In August, 2020 The Australian revealed that then LNP state director Michael O’Dwyer issued a written warning to all state LNP MPs and candidates about compliance with the electoral laws at “private events”.

“It would not be unreasonable for any such political event to also be considered a fundraising event, hence any attendance by prohibited donors is highly problematic,’’ he said.

At the time, it was also revealed prominent Brisbane property developer Phil Murphy had attended a fundraiser at the Hilton Hotel, paying $1565 for a ticket.

The LNP said Mr Murphy had been mistakenly invited and the money was refunded.

An investigation by The Australian revealed that among fundraisers later probed by the ECQ was a 2019 lunch held at Richard Branson’s Makepeace Island on the Sunshine Coast, and a dinner in the cellar of state parliament.

Mr Dutton, then home affairs minister, was the guest speaker at the “exclusive long lunch with Dutton and Deb” on the island on July 19, 2019, attended by about 100 guests, who were charged $990 for a ticket, just below the $1000 donation declaration threshold. Property developers were among attendees.

A “supporters dinner” in August, 2020, organised by LNP MP Dan Purdie, and held in state parliament’s cellar dining room, was attended by Ms Frecklington and LNP MP John-Paul Langbroek.

Developers attended the function, but they were not among those who made donations.

At the time, Mr Langbroek told The Australian he was “a bit perplexed” by the attendance of developers at the fundraising dinner.