Donations to Queensland Political Parties 2016 Until Election 2017 and Ban on Developer Contributions

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Donations to Queensland Political Parties 2016 Until Election 2017 and Ban on Developer Contributions Donations to Queensland Political Parties 2016 until election 2017 and ban on developer contributions Graham Young Executive Director November 23, 2017 Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 2 Analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Political donations are an essential part of funding democracy ........................................................ 4 Property developers and unions the largest collective source of donations ..................................... 4 The size of the average trade union donation more likely to be corrupting than that from the average property developer ............................................................................................................... 4 Donations to political parties are generally relatively small ............................................................... 4 Some individual donations are relatively large compared to other political donations .................... 5 The size of donations, apart from unions, is generally unconnected to the industry so individuals should be held to account .................................................................................................................. 5 What benefits can individual donors get from the state government? ............................................. 6 Do donors support parties they can buy, or parties that support their point of view? ..................... 6 What does the large number of donors say? ..................................................................................... 6 Is it possible that donors just see this as a civic duty? ........................................................................ 7 Isn’t transparency the greatest shield against corruption? ................................................................ 7 Character and reputation of donors ................................................................................................... 7 Why are property developers so prominent? .................................................................................... 8 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 9 The figures ............................................................................................................................................ 10 How much is given? .......................................................................................................................... 10 Gross amounts .............................................................................................................................. 10 Average amounts .......................................................................................................................... 11 Average donations politics versus average donations charity...................................................... 12 Who gives? ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Top 25 donors by value ................................................................................................................. 14 Top 10 donors ALP ........................................................................................................................ 15 Top 10 donors LNP ........................................................................................................................ 15 Top 10 donors Greens ................................................................................................................... 16 Top donors One Nation ................................................................................................................. 16 Top donors Katter’s Australian Party ............................................................................................ 16 What industries do donors come from? ........................................................................................... 17 Split of industries between the parties ............................................................................................. 17 How many donors are there? ........................................................................................................... 19 Top Property Developer Donors ....................................................................................................... 21 What amount would property developers have donated since the ban was introduced? Developers versus unions ................................................................................................................. 22 Qualitative – sketches of the 25 largest donors ................................................................................... 22 1. United Voice .................................................................................................................................. 22 The union ...................................................................................................................................... 22 Influence ....................................................................................................................................... 23 2. Gulf Coast Agriculture Company ................................................................................................... 25 The Company .................................................................................................................................... 25 3. Communications, Electrical & Plumbing Union (CEPU) ................................................................ 25 The Union ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Illegal Industrial Action ................................................................................................................. 25 Gold Coast Union Donations Scandal ........................................................................................... 26 4. Nioa Nominees Pty Ltd T/F Bill Nioa Family Trust......................................................................... 27 The company ................................................................................................................................. 27 Gun Lobby ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Political Links ................................................................................................................................. 27 5. JJ Richards & Sons ......................................................................................................................... 28 History ........................................................................................................................................... 28 ACCC Legal Action ......................................................................................................................... 29 6. AWU (Qld) ..................................................................................................................................... 30 The Union .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Influence ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Personalities .................................................................................................................................. 30 Trade Union Royal Commission .................................................................................................... 32 Political Allegations ....................................................................................................................... 32 The Company ................................................................................................................................ 32 Maha Sinnathamby ....................................................................................................................... 33 Bob Sharpless ................................................................................................................................ 34 9. Suez Environmental ...................................................................................................................... 34 The Company ................................................................................................................................ 34 Peter Hudson, State General Manager Queensland ..................................................................... 35 SUEZ and Brisbane City Council .................................................................................................... 35 The company ................................................................................................................................. 35 Relations with the Queensland Government ............................................................................... 36 11.
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