Probe into LNP’s secretive banned property developer donation dinners

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has launched an investigation into several LNP events attended by property developers, who are prohibited from making political ­donations.

Peter Dutton was the guest speaker at the ‘exclusive long lunch with Dutton and Deb’ at Sir Richard Branson’s Noosa River island. Picture: Dan Peled

A Liberal National Party fundraiser with Peter Dutton at Richard Branson’s Makepeace Island and a secretive dinner in the cellar of state parliament with Deb Frecklington are at the centre of an explosive investigation into alleged banned political donations.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has launched a formal investigation into several LNP events attended by property developers, who are prohibited from making political ­donations.

Mr Dutton, the Home Affairs Minister, was the guest speaker and star attraction at the “exclusive long lunch with Dutton and Deb” at Sir Richard’s Noosa River island on July 19, 2019, attended by about 100 guests, who were charged $990 for a ticket, just below the $1000 donation declaration threshold.

An investigation by The Australian has confirmed that property developers were among attendees, as well as Ms Frecklington — then the LNP leader — and event organiser, Sunshine Coast MP Dan Purdie.

LNP sources said the event raised about $130,000 and used online ticketing platform TryBooking, with a number of auctions held during lunch, including for a two-night stay at the $10,000 a night Makepeace Island.

Deb Frecklington. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Dutton charged taxpayers $464.52 for a flight from Sydney to Maroochydore, near Noosa, on the day of the lunch.

The sources said the ECQ investigation was led by a former police inspector and a former government auditor, who have the power to examine private, party, and LNP branch bank accounts.

The investigation follows a written warning on August 23 from LNP state director Michael O’Dwyer to all LNP MPs and election candidates, cautioning that any “private event” attended by politicians and prohibited donor property developers was “highly problematic”.

Mr O’Dwyer sent the letter after discovering small fundraisers were being held in private residences, attended by property developers and organised without the knowledge of headquarters, in the months before the October 31 state election.

The ECQ is investigating whether funds from property developers were funnelled through other entities into party coffers and the private accounts of MPs.

The Palaszczuk government banned donations from property developers in 2018.

It was revealed in The Australian in September that the LNP had breached electoral laws by hosting property developer Phil Murphy at a fundraiser at the Hilton in July. It was also reported that last June Ms Frecklington secretly met property developers to brief them on her election strategy and campaign finance struggles.

An LNP spokesman said the party had referred a “number of matters” to the ECQ and would not comment further while the investigation was ongoing.

The ECQ is also probing a “supporters dinner” organised by Mr Purdie, held on August 13 last year in state parliament’s cellar dining room, attended by Ms Frecklington and senior LNP MP John-Paul Langbroek.

Retirement village barons Adrian Puljich and his father, Peter Puljich, were among several property developers at the three-course pre-election function. None of the property developers present made donations to the LNP. However, a $13,000 donation was made to the LNP on the day of the dinner by G2G Lawns Pty Ltd ATF the Jeffries Family Trust. It was declared by the LNP on August 17.

The company’s director, Craig Jeffries, runs a Gold Coast landscaping business called The Lawn Renovators and is Facebook friends with Mr Puljich.

Mr Jeffries looks after the soccer field pitch at the Gold Coast Knights Football Club and Mr Puljich is president of the club.

Several LNP sources have told The Australian the G2G Lawns donation was a mystery to them because Mr Jeffries had not attended any fundraisers and had not been a donor.

Mr Jeffries declined to respond to questions on Monday.

Mr Puljich told The Australian he had nothing to hide and fully supported the ECQ investigation into the event, which he said had been referred to the regulator by LNP headquarters. He said he was not a property developer.

 

“I can’t really discuss anything, I know it’s before the Electoral Commission at the moment, we have nothing to hide. If we had anything to hide, why would we meet at Parliament House?” he said. “I understand the dinner was reported to the Electoral Commission by the Liberal National Party, I fully support it, so do the guests, and we’ll let the Electoral Commission do their job.”

Asked about the $13,000 donation from G2G Lawns and his connection with Mr Jeffries, Mr Puljich said: “I don’t really want to discuss it with you. The matter’s before the Electoral Commission Queensland, and I’d like that ­matter to be resolved”.

Under Queensland electoral law, a property developer is a corporation engaged in a business that regularly involves the making of relevant planning applications.

A director of such a corporation may be a close associate of a property developer.

Both are banned from making political donations.

Mr Puljich and his father are directors of several companies that make development appli­cations on retirement villages.

Ms Frecklington said she could not recall the details of the cellar dinner and it “certainly wasn’t a fundraiser for me”. Of both the cellar dinner and the Makepeace Island lunch, she said: “As the leader of the LNP, I attended many events. Any donations are fully declared so there is complete transparency.”

Mr Langbroek said he had been invited to the dinner by Adrian Puljich after being the family’s dentist on the Gold Coast for years. He said he was merely an “innocent guest” but had been “perplexed” because Mr Puljich and other guests were property developers.

“I’m happy to say I was there,” he said. “I’m happy to say I actually asked him to say I was a bit ­perplexed how he could be at a dinner, and he was then going to … follow up on the bona fides of how the dinner had been arranged, in terms of who had bought it.

“That’s what you need to ask Dan (Purdie), because I’m not aware of it because I wasn’t a recipient,” he said. “I don’t know anything about Craig Jeffries and any ­subsequent donations.”

Mr Purdie said he fully understood the “seriousness of the laws and have and always will strictly abide by them”.

“All donations are made directly to the party and no one can make a donation unless they sign a declaration affirming they are not a prohibited donor,” he said.

Mr Dutton declined to comment. The ECQ declined to comment on any compliance activities it had under way citing confidentiality of its activities. A spokeswoman said compliance staff includes people with policing and investigative expertise.