Qld politics: Jarrod Bleijie defends court appeal on behalf of donor

The state government overturned an internal department decision and joined a court appeal supporting a Sunshine Coast development bankrolled by a former LNP donor.

Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

The state government overturned an internal department decision and joined a court appeal supporting a Sunshine Coast development bankrolled by a former LNP donor.

Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie on Thursday was adamant he didn’t personally intervene when his department last month applied to participate in the Brisbane Planning and Environment Court appeal case against Sunshine Coast Council.

Emails tendered to the court reveal that his director-general John Sosso changed the government’s position just three hours after Tourism Minister Andrew Powell wrote to Mr Bleijie asking the state to step in in support of a short-term accommodation development on rural land near Maleny Manor.

Mr Powell is the local MP where the development is being pursued.

While Mr Bleijie did not use his call-in powers to overturn the decision, an email chain between his chief of staff Nathan Ruhle, Mr Sosso and state planner Peta Harwood revealed the department backflipped on its original decision not to join the court proceedings after Mr Powell’s letter.

“The reality is, with the Maleny development, there was no decision made. I didn’t make a decision. I didn’t involve myself in it,” Mr Bleijie said.

“My department, the Planning Department, not me … have chosen to join as a party to the proceedings.

“We actually have … a State Assessment Referral Agency that looks at state interests all the time.”

Court documents show that on March 7 and 14, planning directors from both Transport and Main Roads and Mr Bleijie’s Department of State Infrastructure and Planning recommended against joining the appeal.

Director-general John Sosso

However, on April 15, the developer’s lawyer emailed Mr Bleijie requesting he exercise call-in powers.

Mr Powell then wrote to Mr Bleijie on April 28, in his capacity as the Member for Glasshouse.

Just two days later, Mr Ruhle forwarded Mr Powell’s letter to Mr Sosso.

Mr Sosso changed the department’s stance, instructing senior planners to proceed with joining the appeal.

“Following our recent discussions, please find enclosed correspondence forwarded to the Deputy Premier (Mr Bleijie) by the Member for Glass House regarding the proposed Maleny Development,” Mr Sosso wrote.

“It would appear from the correspondence that Mr Powell MP is of the opinion that the development will result in a number of key developments for the Maleny Region that, cumulatively, are of state interest.”

Court documents show the government justified its sudden shift in stance as a “genuine misapprehension” of the tourism significance made clear by Mr Powell.

The development is being pursued by Presidential Capital Pty Ltd, on behalf of the Geoffrey Thomas family trust, and proposes six two-storey buildings for a total of 28 units at his popular wedding-venue property.

It is not suggested Mr Thomas has engaged in any wrongdoing.

It comes after the Opposition on Wednesday referred Mr Bleijie to the Crime and Corruption Commission, arguing the government's involvement in the case to promote state interest in tourism was a “cop out”.

Opposition planning spokesman Cameron Dick said the state’s involvement in the proceedings was very serious.

“Jarrod Bleijie and Andrew Powell acted to overturn the Planning Department’s decision not to support the developer’s appeal,” he said.

Originally published as Qld politics: Jarrod Bleijie defends court appeal on behalf of donor