Labor powerbroker was paid as an adviser on contentious West End development
Labor powerbroker Jim Soorley was on retainer as an adviser to a developer pushing a controversial West End project at the time it was called-in by the State Government.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Labor powerbroker Jim Soorley was being paid a retainer to act as an adviser by a developer pushing a controversial West End project at the time it was called-in by the State Government.
Mr Soorley, who has become entangled in an unrelated controversy over lobbying claims that have triggered complaints to corruption officials, was on a retainer working on helping progress Sekisui House’s $800 million West Village apartment development in late 2015.
State records show Mr Soorley was on the lobbyist register in August 2015, but had deregistered by October that year when he was appointed chairman of state-owned CS Energy – barring him from working as a third-party lobbyist under government policy.
Soorley: Carpark cash was ‘merely reno advice payment’
Former Brisbane mayor Jim Soorley named in lobbying complaint
Minister had contact with Labor figure in lobbying claim
But it is understood the former Brisbane Lord Mayor was retained as an adviser by the developer until after the project was called-in by then-Deputy Premier Jackie Trad in 2016 and approved later that year. The arrangement with Mr Soorley in relation to West Village stopped in mid-2017.
Under the state’s Integrity Act, only registered lobbyists can lobby Government on behalf of a third-party client, however, employees are allowed to engage in lobbying activity if it is for their own company’s interests.
Mr Soorley has strenuously denied he had engaged in any lobbying activity since quitting the lobbyist register in October 2015.
He was part of a team of consultants and advisers to have worked for developer Wingate Properties, which had bought the West Village site in mid-2014 before it was sold to builder Sekisui House, according to Wingate’s Stephen Williams.
Mr Williams said Wingate was retained by Sekisui to help with the project’s approval and had appointed a team of more than 20 consultants and advisers to advance the project, which included Mr Soorley, who he said was retained in late 2015.
“Jim’s advice covered aspects such as heritage, indeigenous culture, housing affordability, sustainability, community engagement and Government consultation,” Mr Williams said.
Brisbane City Council gave preliminary approval for a mixed-use development on the site in May 2016, but the approval was appealed by the West End Community Association over concerns about its footprint and lack of open space, threatening to create delays.
Ms Trad - then Deputy Premier and Planning Minister - announced plans in mid-2016 to call-in the project, saying she had been inundated with submissions from locals concerned about the size of the development.
A ministerial call-in means the Minister can assess and decide the outcome of all or part of an application.
The Palaszczuk Government approved the West Village application in November 2016, with amendments including a doubling of publicly accessible green space.
Asked whether she had ever discussed the project with Mr Soorley this week, Ms Trad said she had “only discussed the West Village call-in with independent departmental officers of my agency at the time.“
“As minister, I accepted all of the recommendations and conditions in relation to the final approval recommended by the independent public officials.”
The development comprises up to 1250 apartments across seven buildings, according to Sekisui House’s website.
Mr Soorley did not respond to a request for comment about his involvement in the project, but has previously denied he had lobbied the Government over an unrelated issue after he deregistered as a lobbyist in 2015.
A complaint has been made to the Crime and Corruption Commission alleging Mr Soorley was paid $2500 cash in a car park to lobby the Government for a Brisbane restaurateur despite not being a registered lobbyist at the time.
Wilsons Boathouse restaurant owner Neil Jedid claimed Mr Soorley promised to lobby ministers, including Transport Minister Mark Bailey.
Mr Bailey said Mr Soorley had been in contact about the restaurant, which was seeking a longer lease over the state-owned site, but he had told him it was a matter between Mr Jedid and his department.
Originally published as Labor powerbroker was paid as an adviser on contentious West End development