A ban on property developers making political donations in state elections will be lifted, under sweeping new legislation introduced to Queensland parliament.
The former Labor government banned the practice in 2018 under then-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The Crime and Corruption Commission had recommended the ban for local councils, but Labor went a step further and extended it to state candidates.
In a 2024 Queensland election debate, then-opposition leader David Crisafulli foreshadowed scrapping the rule.
Deb Frecklington says the government is fulfilling its pre-election commitments. (ABC News: Cameron Lang)
In Queensland parliament, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said the LNP government was now following through on a pre-election commitment and evening the political playing field.
“This property developer donation ban was fundamentally and philosophically an electoral financial gerrymander from the former Labor government, and this Bill rights that wrong.
“The bad old days of Labor’s sneaky electoral amendments are over.“
She added the government remained committed to legislating optional preferential voting in the future.
Property developers would still not be able to make donations for local council elections under the proposed laws.
The LNP has consistently decried the ban, arguing it does not have access to the same war chests Labor does through unions.
‘Lining their own pockets’
Political donation caps would effectively be quadrupled under the proposed laws.
Presently, a donor can only make up to $12,000 in donations over a four-year term; $4,800 to a party and $7,200 to a candidate.
The changes will repeal a ban on property developers making political donations in state elections. (ABC News: Crystalyn Brown)
But the legislation changes the time period to an annual basis, increasing the ceiling to $48,000.
Shadow Attorney-General Meaghan Scanlon said the government had not been up front with voters.
“At a time when there should be less money and influence in politics, the LNP is giving the top end of town even more influence.
“It is evidence that they care more about lining their own pockets than everyday Queenslanders.“
Greens MP Michael Berkman accused the government of “legalising another avenue of corruption”.
“It’s a kick in the guts for regular people who are desperate for the government to do something about the housing crisis,” he said.
“The LNP has rolled out the welcome mat for property developers, selling out ordinary Queenslanders to the highest bidder.”
Michael Berkman says the changes were “legalising” corruption and a “kick in the guts for regular people”. (ABC News: Janelle Miles)
In a statement, Queensland executive director of the Property Council of Australia Jess Caire welcomed the “equal treatment of the property sector alongside all other sectors and unions”.
“The property industry is our state’s biggest employer, our frontline response to the housing crisis and will help our state to manage growth well.
“Ultimately, decision-making power rests with our politicians and regulators, and the only way to ensure the system operates fairly is to ensure politicians hold themselves to account when in public office and that every Queenslander is treated the same.”
Measures to restrict prisoners’ voting
The proposed laws would also make it harder for criminals in Queensland prisons to vote.
Currently, prisoners serving a sentence of three years or more in jail are prohibited from voting in state and local elections, and referendums.
The legislation would reduce that to one year or more.
“Lawbreakers should not be choosing our lawmakers,” Ms Frecklington told the House.
“The people who demonstrate disregard and disdain for our laws should not be selecting the parliaments that enact them.”
Prisoners to elect Queensland’s future Premier
Thousands of inmates in prisons across Queensland are given the power to elect Queensland’s future Premier in the upcoming state election for the first time in history.
Under the legislation, the period during which parties must disclose authorised election material, such as advertisements or pamphlets, would be vastly extended.
Currently, disclosure only needs to occur during the official election campaign period of around a month, but the proposed laws would extend this to a year.
“These amendments enhance transparency in the political electoral process and will improve the integrity of our political and electoral debates,” Ms Frecklington said in parliament.
“They go a long way to keeping electoral participants accountable for the things they say and communicate to voters.”
The bill has been referred to a parliamentary committee to consider, with debate to begin when parliament returns next year.
