Queensland’s LNP forced to reveal donors

LNP president Gary Spence. Picture: Annette Dew

The Australian
8:13PM August 21, 2017
Michael McKenna
Reporter Brisbane @McKennaattheOz
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/queenslands-lnp-forced-to-reveal-donors/news-story/a65defac27c5947c467755462a438e71

Queensland’s Liberal National Party has been hit with legal action by the state’s electoral commission to force the party to disclose the source of more than $100,000 in donations.

In an extraordinary move, the Electoral Commission of Queensland has filed the Supreme Court law suit after a two-year tussle with the LNP over its failure to reveal the identities of the donors.

The action is set to explode in state parliament on Tuesday with the Palaszczuk government previously accusing the LNP of trying to hide the source of the 28 donations — which range from $1100 to $10,000.

The donations were made in 2014 after the LNP Newman government had raised the declaration threshold from $1000 to $12,800, and the donations did not have to be declared.

But after Labor won power in 2015, the Palaszczuk government reversed the declaration limit back to $1000 and made the changes retrospective, requiring the donations be declared and the LNP resubmit its return to the ECQ.

The LNP has previously claimed it could not find the names of donors with some of the donations which were made as bank deposits with no identifying details included in the transfer.

In 2015, Electoral Commissioner Walter van der Merwe told a Budget Estimates hearing that he was seeking Crown law advice on the issue.

“We have requested that information. The LNP said that information was not available. But we will pursue it,’’ Mr van der Merwe said at the time.

LNP president Gary Spence could not be contacted on Monday night.


The action was filed in the Supreme Court last month, and will be the subject of a directions hearing on Tuesday.

Former LNP president Bruce McIver has previously said the LNP had made every effort to declare the donations.

“The 28 donations were just some of more than $4.7 million worth of donations made to the party last year,” Mr McIver said.

“The LNP has made every effort to comply with Labor’s retrospective laws and provide names of donors during the period when the higher threshold existed.

“In a comparatively small number of cases because names were not required to be recorded at the time, the Electoral Commission of Queensland has accepted that it has not been possible to provide some names.’’

One Nation wants Queensland to hand over $2.4b of its GST to WA

Jessica Marszalek, EXCLUSIVE, The Courier-Mail
August 20, 2017 12:00am
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/one-nation-wants-queensland-to-hand-over-24b-of-its-gst-to-wa/news-story/b6bf9715d8c743a24e9300ffca94c0e6

ONE Nation has proposed new GST funding model to a Commonwealth review that would cost Queensland a whopping $2.4 billion in just one year.

The party’s WA branch has written to the Productivity Commission asking for the Federal Government to unilaterally abolish the current system without the agreement of states and distribute GST payments on a new, per capita basis.

Analysis of the Commonwealth Grant Commission’s own figures shows such a move would cost Queensland $2.4 million in 2017-18 alone.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson was caught out backing moves to rob Queensland of GST revenue in order to give it to WA.

The suggestion follows a political storm during WA’s election in March when One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson was caught out backing moves to rob Queensland of GST revenue in order to give it to WA.

At the time, Senator Hanson denied her WA leader’s assertions that she had backed a plan to reduce Queensland’s allocation for the benefit of WA, but audio of a Perth radio interview in January emerged showing she had.

Under determinations by the Commonwealth Grants Commission, WA gets 30¢ in every dollar of GST raised in the state (about $2 billion a year), while Queensland receives $1.17 ($14.3 billion).

The One Nation submission, signed by WA state president Doug Shaw and WA leader Colin Tincknell, demands the Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation method — which takes into account a state or territory’s capacity to raise revenue in distributing GST — be abandoned.

Although the Commonwealth and states have long argued national consensus is needed to change the GST carve up, One Nation relies on Parliamentary Library advice that Treasurer Scott Morrison can “simply direct the Commonwealth Grants Commission” to change the model.

One Nation state leader Steve Dickson said the WA branch of the party was free to make its own arguments.


“I will be fighting for everything Queensland deserves,” he said.

But Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said One Nation had been caught out “trying to rip off Queenslanders with voodoo economics”.

“One Nation’s GST proposal would mean less money for our roads, hospitals and schools,” he said.

“It would mean higher taxes.

“You can’t represent Queenslanders when you want to rip away their GST — it’s disgraceful.”
Treasurer Scott Morrison tasked the Productivity Commission with the inquiry in April after continuing calls by WA MPs that the current system is treating their state unfairly.


Both Labor and the LNP oppose any move to change the current system, which recognises the difficulty of funding services across such a decentralised state.

Matt Canavan listed on Registry of Italians Residing Abroad

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/matt-canavan-listed-on-registry-of-italians-residing-abroad/news-story/7bedeaefd01ae599b04074e9b02ebe24

Matthew Killoran, The Courier-Mail
July 27, 2017 12:00am

SENATOR Matt Canavan has been listed on the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad and Italian voting forms were automatically sent to him at his mother’s address for the past 10 years.

But the rising LNP star, who resigned from Cabinet on Tuesday due to the dual citizenship scandal, yesterday reiterated he has never received or even viewed a ballot.

Senator Canavan this week revealed his mother, also born in Australia but of Italian descent, had signed him up for Italian ­citizenship. Under the Constitution a person who holds dual citizenship is ineligible for Parliament.

Senator Canavan’s father Brian at his Brisbane home yesterday. Picture: Liam Kidston

Senator Matt Canavan has blamed his mother for making him an Italian citizen without his knowledge. Picture: AAP/Sonia Kohlbacher

He said she made the application in 2006 when she herself applied for citizenship, but without his consent or knowledge while he was aged 25.

Senator Canavan’s parents kept a low profile yesterday. His father appeared at the door of their Brisbane home, but declined to comment.

The validity of the citizenship will be tested in the High Court – and there is potential precedent to suggest a person must “accept or acquiesce” to foreign citizenship to be ruled ineligible.

People listed on the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad are automatically sent voting forms for elections. It is understood the forms were sent to his mother’s address.

The most recent Italian election was held in February 2013 and prior to that in 2008 and 2006.

A spokesman for Senator Canavan said he had not voted in an Italian election and had never received or viewed any ballot papers.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce yesterday said Senator Canavan had discussed Italian citizenship with his mother in 2005, but had never signed any form.

“Senator Canavan has stated to me that he did not complete any forms so it was a discussion the family had and he thought that’s where it’s rested,” he said.

“From what has been conveyed to me, he had no interest in becoming an Italian citizen.”

Mr Joyce said it was “an incredibly difficult time” for Senator Canavan’s mother and she would be “at her wits’ end”.

Greens leader Richard di Natale has said Senator Canavan should follow Greens senators Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlum, also caught up in dual citizenship matters, and resign from the Senate.

Mr Joyce said Senator Canavan was not resigning from the Senate.

“We don’t even know at this stage whether there was a valid registration in Italy,” he said.

Government sources have continued talking up Senator Canavan’s chances of beating a Constitution challenge to his eligibility.

The matter will have to be referred to the High Court by the Senate, which does not sit again until August 8.

It is understood Senator Canavan is not able to be represented by the Solicitor-­General and will have to seek his own representation.

All sweet in sugar wars as combatants trade hectoring for harmony

Greg Beashel, managing director and chief executive of Queensland Sugar Limited.The Australian

12:00AM March 4, 2017

• Sarah Elks

  

  Queensland political reporter

  Brisbane

  @sarahelks

Sweet relief is just weeks away for Queensland’s sugar industry, with warring miller Wilmar and marketer Queensland Sugar Limited reaching in-principle agreement.

The months-long stoush has caused political pain for state and federal conservatives, with rebel federal Liberal National Party MP George Christensen threatening to quit the party over the impasse.

After 11 hours of state government-funded mediation in Brisbane on Thursday, QSL and Singapore-owned Wilmar announced yesterday they had reached a “high level agreement” about QSL buying Wilmar’s raw sugar.

“While QSL welcomes this long overdue development, there is still a lot of work to be done before a detailed contract is secured and Wilmar growers can begin to access QSL marketing and pricing services for the 2017 season and beyond,” QSL managing director Greg Beashel said.

The Weekend Australian understands teams of lawyers for both sides are negotiating the wording of a written agreement, expected within weeks.

This week, the LNP state opposition failed to push through Queensland’s hung parliament a bill to compel both parties to enter formal arbitration to solve the dispute. The attempted legislative intervention came after the LNP voted with Katter’s Australian Party crossbenchers in 2015 to partially re-regulate the sugar ­industry, at the urging of canegrowers.

Thursday’s mediation was run by retired Supreme Court judge Richard Chesterman, appointed by the state government.

Growers sell cane to millers, such as Wilmar, which manufacture raw sugar. The price growers are paid is based on the price for which Wilmar sells the raw sugar.

The sugar can either be sold through the miller, or historic sugar marketer QSL. Wilmar has already negotiated cane supply agreements with growers. The contract being negotiated with QSL is the on-supply agreement.

Annastacia Palaszczuk: How I’ll counter One Nation

Sarah Vogler, The Courier-Mail
February 12, 2017 11:36am

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk says her government’s push to spend more time in the regions “listening and delivering” will help counter the rising political threat of One Nation.

Ms Palaszczuk this morning responded to an Galaxy poll conducted exclusively for The Courier-Mail which found one in four Queenslanders intended to vote for One Nation at the next State Election, due later this year.

More than one in three believed it would be good for One Nation to hold the balance of power in the next parliament.

Ms Palaszczuk backed her government’s decision to bring back compulsory preferential voting despite One Nation’s resurgence.

“I don’t because when we come to the election there will be a clear choice and that choice is a stable Labor Government led by me, a Premier who listens, a Premier who understands the concerns of Queensland families and delivering or the alternative is a One Nation/ LNP coalition led by Tim Nicholls.

“I don’t think the people of Queensland want that disruption to Queensland.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she believed her government was demonstrating it was listening.

“I have been extensively travelling across this state since returning back from leave. I have been out there listening but there’s one thing I want to say to the people of Queensland and that is not only am I listening but my government is also delivering,” she said.

“We know that the people in the regions are doing it tough and that is why I am out there constantly talking to the people in the regions, listening to the people in the regions and making sure that we deliver programs and projects that can create jobs.”

Ms Palaszczuk pointed to the planned overhaul of trading hours as one example of a job-creation policy.

“What I will continue to do is listen and deliver.”

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls has refused to be drawn on whether he will consider doing a deal with One Nation to form government if support for the far-right party in recent opinion polls is replicated at the ballot box at the looming state election.

Mr Nicholls said he understood voters were “mad as hell” after a Galaxy poll conducted exclusively for The Courier-Mail found 23 per cent of voters intended to choose One Nation.

But he insisted he was in the next election to win it outright and would not rule in or out a potential deal with One Nation should the party win enough seats to hold the balance of power.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk rules out governing deal with One Nation

Sarah Vogler, The Courier-Mail
February 4, 2017 12:00am

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk would rather relegate Labor to the wilderness of Opposition than share power with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation after the next election.

In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with The Courier-Mail on the second anniversary of her election win, Ms Palaszczuk said she was focused on gaining a ­majority at the next election, which could be held later this year.

But if not, she ruled out a governing deal with One Nation. Labor has already signalled its intention to put One Nation last on ballot papers.

“I’m not having a coalition with them. I am firmly focused on a majority government and there will be no coalition with One Nation,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I think the people are going to start seeing the LNP and One Nation as one and the same.”

Labor has been pressuring the LNP to declare its hand on a preference deal with One Nation after a deal was struck between the WA Liberals and the minor party. Many in Labor fear the move to compulsory preferential voting could backfire on them following the rise of One Nation.

Ms Palaszczuk, who has spent more time in regional Queensland than the southeast since returning from leave last month, says her Government will continue its focus on job-creation policies this year with her aim to have an unemployment rate with five in front of it.

She said she and her ministers would continue to fan out across the regions for the rest of the term.

“What I am firmly hearing from the people in the southeast is that they understand,” Ms Palaszczuk, who was speaking in Rockhampton where she governed for the week, said.

“They stop me in the street and they say ‘we see you in regional Queensland and they are doing it tough so it’s good that your there listening and helping them’.”

Ms Palaszczuk formed minority government with the help of Independent MP Peter Wellington following a stunning electoral comeback in 2015.

She said she believed the Government’s work was bearing fruit.

“Over the last two years I think we have clearly shown the people of Queensland that we are a stable government,” she said.

“That we have a clear vision for growing the state and that the economy is turning the corner.”

The Premier pointed to the mid-year fiscal and economic review handed down by Treasurer Curtis Pitt last year and the $2 billion operating surplus contained within it as an example of that.

She said one of the Government’s back to work policies had created 1200 jobs so far.

That regional focus is also designed to help Labor head off a resurgent One Nation hoping to win a slew of seats at the state election.

Ms Palaszczuk has dismissed suggestions she is concerned by the minor party’s popularity which she said was born out of a wave of dissatisfaction sweeping not just Queensland but the world.

But she said she believed it was possible to counter that movement.

“I think the issue there is that you will always have people who may feel dissatisfied or may feel they want to protest about a particular issue,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“My job is clearly to demonstrate to people where we are delivering services and where we are creating jobs.

“We are yet to see anything tangible that One Nation is delivering.”

Complaint to Crime and Corruption Commission Qld over alleged councillor domestic violence data leak

Tom Snowdon, The Courier-Mail

February 5, 2017 12:00am
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/complaint-to-crime-and-corruption-commission-qld-over-alleged-councillor-domestic-violence-data-leak/news-story/adb48cf44c28101d24b61c8db92cdf71

ACCUSATION DENIED: Logan City Council’s Darren Power is holding a sign during a 2015 council-led walk against domestic violence.

A Queensland councillor is accused of giving a One Nation staffer who has had domestic violence concerns raised about him confidential information about his ex.

Logan City Council’s Darren Power has been referred to the state’s corruption watchdog following a conversation in which he was allegedly told about steps council had taken to protect One Nation policy adviser Sean Black’s former partner.


A complaint filed with the Crime and Corruption Commission alleges Cr Power may have relayed those steps to Mr Black – a former Logan City councillor who now works for One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts – during a subsequent conversation with him.

Cr Power strongly denies ever even being told about the protective measures, let alone passing them on to Mr Black.

He said in a text message to The Sunday Mail he thought the CCC complaint was part of a wider political game to punish him for speaking out about a contentious development on a koala habitat in his division.

“This sounds like a political payback for my opposition to the Carbrook development, or do they think I am running for One Nation?” Cr Power said.


It is understood the police, Local Government Minister Jackie Trad and Domestic Violence Minister Shannon Fentiman have all been made aware of the complaint.

The CCC refused to confirm a complaint had been received. But a spokeswoman for Logan Mayor Luke Smith declined to comment because of the “involvement” of the CCC.

Mr Black, despite repeated approaches, made no comment for this story but stopped it running in last week’s Sunday Mail by applying for an eleventh-hour injunction that prevented its ­publication.


Those orders were revoked during a closed court application hearing on Monday in Brisbane’s Supreme Court.

Cr Power, according to a document obtained by The Sunday Mail, was called into Mayor Smith’s office in December for a conversation about the domestic violence concerns against Mr Black.

“I found this unusual as Cr Smith and I have a difficult relationship and we rarely talk in private,” Cr Power writes in the document, dated January 22 this year, which was given to Mr Black.

“Cr Smith then told me that he had heard that Sean Black has a habit of domestic violence, that he ‘bashed his former wife’ and that ‘it was just a matter of time before it catches up with him and that the papers are aware’, and that ‘is (sic) all about to explode’ in the media.”


The long-time councillor, who has been repeatedly elected since 1997, claimed he believed Cr Smith had heard this information ­directly from Mr Black’s former partner:

"Cr Smith led me to believe that the story that was about to break in the paper would ‘mean Sean Black would be one of the most politically maligned individuals in Australia’,” the document says. It was supplied to the CCC as part of the complaint.

Mr Black, who was once banned from attending meetings without security guards amid bullying allegations, was elected as a Logan councillor in 2008 before he left in 2012 to return to the property industry.


He has previously said the ban was an attempt to silence him for his part in an unsuccessful coup against the former deputy mayor.