Star helped casino minister Yvette D’Ath raise cash

Star Entertainment hosted and paid for a Labor fundraiser for Yvette D’Ath, who regulates gaming.

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath. Picture: Annette Dew

Star Entertainment hosted and covered the costs of a Labor fundraiser at its Brisbane casino hotel for Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath, who regulates gaming and was at the time considering approval of the gambling giant’s “masterplan’’ for its Gold Coast operations.

The $125-a-head fundraiser for Ms D’Ath was held in a private dining room at the Treasury Hotel in Brisbane’s CBD in the lead-up to the 2017 state election, with food and alcohol also paid for by the listed gaming company.

It is understood the fundraiser, billed as “The Great Debate: Lawyers Make the Best Politicians”, raised tens of thousands of dollars for Ms D’Ath and included a panel of four former state Labor A-G’s, among them Paul Lucas, who is married to Star Group executive external affairs director Alison Smith.

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath’s fundraiser invitation. Picture: Supplied

At the time, Star was lobbying the Palaszczuk government not to proceed with plans for a rival second casino on the Gold Coast and had submitted its $2bn masterplan for its existing operations in the tourism city to Ms D’Ath, which she later approved.

The Palaszczuk government withdrew its backing for a ­Chinese-backed consortium’s bid to build a rival Gold Coast casino ahead of the November 2017 state election, although the possibility of a second licence is still being considered.

Ms D’Ath’s portfolio oversees the regulation of gambling in Queensland through the Office of Liquor and Gaming.

Star owns the only casinos on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, where it is currently building the $3.6bn Queens Wharf integrated resort in the CBD.

It was revealed earlier this week that Ms D’Ath was high among the Palaszczuk government cabinet minister who received free sporting tickets and accommodation from Star. She accepted tickets to the athletics finals and closing cere­mony of the Commonwealth Games, including seats in Star’s corporate box and a couple of nights in its hotels on the Gold Coast.

The Palaszczuk cabinet met this week and was scheduled to discuss Star’s calls for the government to permanently kill off the possibility of a second casino on the Gold Coast after the gaming giant warned that it needed exclusivity to go ahead with the $2bn masterplan investment.

Ms D’Ath, who this year announced a crackdown on electoral donations in Queensland, issued a statement on Tuesday night saying Star’s “gift-in-kind’’ had been declared by the company to the state Electoral Commission.

The declaration of $4036.10 did not offer details that it related to a fundraiser or Ms D’Ath, saying only that it was gift to the ALP.

Ms D’Ath agreed that Star had hosted and paid for the fundraiser after The Australian contacted her office with a copy of a flyer for the fundraiser and Star’s declaration to the ECQ on the date of the event. In the statement, Ms D’Ath did not answer questions about the appropriateness of having a personal fundraiser hosted and paid for by a gaming entity she is supposed to regulate.

“This is the sort of fundraising we should be encouraging, one that gives Queenslanders the chance to engage face to face with present and past elected representatives,’’ she said.

“Most licensed venues in Queensland are also gaming and wagering outlets so it would be ridiculous to argue (that) the ­Attorney-General is doing anything wrong by holding a fundraiser in a hotel, pub or club.’’

An invitation to an event to raise funds for Georgi Leader's campaign for Currumbin. Picture: Supplied

Tourism Minister Kate Jones and then health minister Cameron Dick also had a fundraiser at the Treasury Hotel ahead of the 2017 election but both Star and Ms Jones said all expenses were paid for by the ALP.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said Ms D’Ath should be sacked: “It is completely inappropriate for Labor’s Attorney-­General, who is the key decision-maker for casinos, to be accepting political donations from Queensland’s main casino operator.

“This fails any standard of basic conflict of interest management, and it certainly doesn’t pass the pub test.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk defended her AG this morning, but avoided answering questions about the casino group paying for the fundraiser.

“They booked a hotel room just like anyone can book a room in any other hotel,” she said.