Queensland election: LNP to give Integrity Commissioner power to investigate lobbyists

Queensland’s Integrity Commissioner would be given beefed-up powers to investigate lobbyists under an LNP government.

Queensland Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov. Picture: AAP

Queensland’s Integrity Commissioner would be given beefed-up powers to investigate lobbyists under an LNP government, after Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared she was comfortable with a lobbyist running her re-election campaign.

An investigation by The Australian has uncovered the existence of “campaigner lobbyists” in Queensland — political players who work to get governments re-elected and then profit from those administrations as lobbyists or owners of lobbying firms.

It also emerged the watchdog charged with regulating the state’s booming lobbying industry, Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov, is powerless to investigate alleged wrongdoing by lobbyists.

Liberal National Party opposition leader Deb Frecklington on Wednesday night promised to legislate to increase Dr Stepanov’s power and give her extra funding, if the LNP is elected on October 31.

“An LNP government will give the Integrity Commissioner legislative power to investigate potential breaches of the lobbying code of conduct and integrity regime,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Investigative powers will require more resources, and a future LNP government will address this in our first budget to be delivered in the first 100 days.

“The Integrity Commissioner’s lack of investigative powers is a major limitation on the current integrity regime.”

The Australian’s investigation found that Evan Moorhead — a former Labor MP and ALP state secretary — was one of the state’s most in-demand lobbyists, setting up his firm Anacta Strategies with fellow Labor campaigner Dave Nelson, after he left Ms Palaszczuk’s office as her chief of government strategy last year. Mr Moorhead is still on Labor’s payroll to provide campaign advice to the party.

On the LNP side, the Crime and Corruption Commission are assessing a complaint by the Brisbane City Council Labor Opposition after The Australian revealed a former LNP state executive member and owner of lobbyist firm SAS Group, Malcolm Cole, was paid by ratepayers to advise Brisbane’s LNP Lord Mayor while orchestrating his re-election campaign.

Ms Frecklington said there were no lobbyists working on her election campaign.

Ms Palaszczuk said she would consider increasing Dr Stepanov’s funding if she was re-elected, and said she was comfortable with lobbyist Evan Moorhead running her campaign.

“Oh sure, if she has said (that she is under-resourced) to government, happy to help,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “My understanding is Mr Moorhead is following all the rules … he has to abide by the rules just like everyone else has to abide by the rules.”

But she ruled out overhauling the state’s lobbyist code of conduct, declaring Queensland had “some of the strictest rules in the country” for lobbyists.

Dr Stepanov said last month her workload had dramatically increased, experiencing a ten-fold increase in inquiries about lobbying activities, but said she was trying to be fiscally responsible and efficient.

“I am sure that any public sector agency would appreciate more staff and resources if such things were limitless and there was no additional cost burden to the public,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk and Treasurer Cameron Dick spent the morning at mining giant Glencore’s Mount Isa copper smelter on day two of the campaign.

They re-­announced the state government’s financial support for the company to keep the ­operation open. Among many other clients, Mr Moorhead and Anacta Strategies are also Glencore’s lobbyists.

Ms Palaszczuk on Wednesday said details of the government’s financial support for Glencore were commercial-in-confidence and could not be disclosed.