Parliament passes ban on developer donations

The Queensland Parliament has passed legislation giving effect to a ban on political donations from ‘property developers’. This ban will have retrospective application to 12 October 2017, when the legislation was first introduced into the Parliament.

The Property Council has strongly opposed the Bill on the basis that it singles out the property sector for inequitable treatment under electoral laws, and unduly brands Queensland’s biggest non-government employer as a corruption risk.   

In responding to the passage of the Bill, Property Council Queensland Executive Director Chris Mountford said that many industries stand to benefit from the decisions of government, and that narrowly targeting one sector for special treatment does little to strengthen community confidence in the political system.

A number of concerns with the definition and provisions proposed within the Bill have also been highlighted by the Property Council. In particular, significant flaws and ambiguity with the definition of a ‘property developer’ have been communicated, with the proposed definition capturing a significant number of individuals and entities who should not be regarded as developers.

The Bill, as passed, bans many individuals who stand to receive no benefit from a political donation or would not be considered to be engaged in property development.

The Parliamentary Committee investigating the Bill did acknowledge a number of concerns with the definition and has recommended further clarity by provided by the Government.