A Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) investigation has found no evidence of wrongdoing surrounding a series of developer donations made to the Liberal National Party’s (LNP) Forward Brisbane Leadership Fund in 2011.
On 29 February 2012, the CMC determined it was in the public interest to generate its own assessment of donations made by a Brisbane developer and associated entities to the LNP’s campaign fund for Brisbane City Council candidates ahead of Council approval for a Woolloongabba development.
The CMC’s action followed significant public debate on the matter.
The CMC’s decision to assess the matter and subsequent move to launch a misconduct investigation (announced 16 March 2012), assumed nothing about the guilt or innocence of any party. In all matters before the CMC, whether at assessment or investigation phase, everyone is afforded the presumption of innocence and all allegations should be treated as unsubstantiated until a final outcome is reached.
The investigation specifically focused on the motivation behind the developer’s donations to the Forward Brisbane Leadership Fund between 19 January and 7 February 2011, and whether there was any evidence of corruption or favouritism surrounding a separate application before the council, originally submitted in December 2007, and modified thereafter over time.
The CMC’s investigation revealed no evidence of political interference. It found:
- no evidence that any Brisbane City Councillor was aware of the donations at the time they voted on approval for the Woolloongabba development; and
- no evidence that the developer had any communication with any Councillor about the donations, or about the progress of the development application.
The investigation concluded that there was no evidence the donations to the campaign fund were made for any improper purpose, nor that they influenced the Brisbane City Council’s decision to approve the Woolloongabba development.
The evidence also showed that donor identities remained confidential to those administering the political campaign fund prior to detail being publicly released via the Electoral Commission of Queensland in its biannual reporting.
While the investigation revealed no wrongdoing on the part of any person, the CMC has decided to commence a review into the broader topic of donations to political parties.
The review by the CMC’s Applied Research and Evaluation section will examine Australian and international laws relating to electoral donations to determine whether the Queensland model is sound practice.
It will focus on key elements of the law, including prohibitions and restrictions on donations, disclosure and reporting provisions, and monitoring and oversight mechanisms.
The CMC will report on its findings when it has concluded its review, expected before the end of the year.
ENDS
