Right to Information reveals essential worker was hotel executive of major Liberal donor

A hotel executive was given an essential worker exemption to visit Tasmania ahead of a hotel opening where he was photographed with the Premier. Leaked emails between a senior public servant and CEO of the major Liberal party donor reveal more >>

Roger Powell and John Fitzgerald during the opening of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Hobart. Picture Chris Kidd

A TOURISM executive was granted an essential traveller exemption ahead of a hotel opening after a series of emails between the CEO of a major Liberal party donor and a senior public servant.

The incident has previously been explained as the admission of vital workers required to finish the Crowne Plaza Hotel construction.

Documents released after a Right to Information request reveal the managing director of advisory firm, Tourism and Hospitality Services Australasia Rodger Powell, was finding it difficult to get to Hobart before the opening of the Crowne Plaza Hotel on July 1.

It was not clear on what basis Mr Powell was claiming to be an essential traveller.

On June 24, Mr Powell wrote to Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief Steve Old seeking ways to speed up the processing of his request.

“If there is anything either of you can think of that I can do to get this processed? I’m happy to do it or if there is anyone you can call it would be very helpful,” Sydney-based Mr Powell wrote, saying he had spent 11 days in isolation.

Rodger Powell, third from left partially obscured, shown at the opening of the Crowne Hotel in Hobart with Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein

Mr Old forwarded the email to Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Tim Baker: “Hey mate. Any help you can offer with this?” he wrote, adding a smiling face emoji.

The next day, Mr Baker replied: “Yep, I will look in to it”.

“Ta, mate” came Mr Old’s reply.

A undated file note prepared by Mr Baker, made after media reports, said he forwarded the request to the manager responsible for granting essential traveller applications without any further instructions.

He said he was later informed the application had already been approved and that he had a telephone conversation with Mr Old.

Mr Baker said he did not discuss the matter with anyone else, especially not with any Minister or ministerial staff members.

The THA was a major Liberal Party donor in the lead-up to the last state election, with $269,750 in declared contributions.

Kalis Hospitality, developers of Crowne Plaza, also donated $70,000 to the Liberals.

Mr Powell was pictured with Premier Peter Gutwein at the Crowne Plaza opening.

Mr Baker’s intervention in the granting of essential worker exemptions came to light after Mr Old thanked Mr Baker in a speech at the event.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Managing Director Emmanuel Kalis during the opening of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Hobart. Picture Chris Kidd

But Mr Old claimed Mr Baker had helped Kalis Hospitality admit essential workers. No reference to such workers was revealed in Mr Baker’s file note.

“With coronavirus, they had some deals in place with specialist workers coming in from the mainland and they needed to get approval for them to come in, otherwise this job would have been delayed and they probably would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Mr Old said at the time.

“There were no rules broken or anything like that. It was just about probably as much for me having contacts to be able to make sure they got to the right people quickly to get the authorisation either approved or not.”

Premier Peter Gutwein also defended Mr Baker’s involvement, saying nothing untoward had happened.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the RTI request seemed to show a tale of mates helping mates.

“It’s reasonable to question how an industry lobbyist can be deemed an ‘essential traveller’. Tasmanians who’ve sacrificed so much over the past five months are entitled to an explanation,” she said.

“Tim Baker is a former chief of staff to former Liberal Premier, Will Hodgman. Steve Old’s strong ties to the Liberals are well known.”

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