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.