Qld Labor govt to probe LNP donations

Queensland's Labor government has denied an inquiry into political donations aimed at the Liberal National Party will be a witch-hunt.

An inquiry into political donations in Queensland has been branded a witch-hunt by the Liberal National Party opposition.

The inquiry, announced on Tuesday by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, will target donations to the LNP and projects approved by the previous Newman government.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg questioned the motives behind the inquiry unless its scope is widened to include union donations and the Labor government's decisions.

"I hear today we have a witch-hunt," Mr Springborg said.

"If we're going to have an inquiry into political donations that should also extend to the unions bosses and their control over the Labor Party."

Ms Palaszczuk denied the inquiry, which she promised as part of election campaigning, was an attempt to get square with the LNP.

She said it would also look at donations to her party.

"If you've got nothing to hide, there's no concern," she said.

The premier promised that any potential, or even perceived, conflicts of interest involving the former LNP government will be thoroughly scrutinised.

"Were there any connections between political donations and the awarding of contracts and tenders?" Ms Palaszczuk said.

"The LNP needs to be open and transparent, just like Labor has been open and transparent."

The terms of reference will be released by the end of this month, but the premier has foreshadowed particular matters for analysis.

Among them are the former government's approval of the expansion of the Acland coal mine after developer New Hope Coal donated money to the LNP and 28 unnamed donors who gave a combined $100,000 to the party in the first half of 2014.

Ms Palaszczuk said either the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) or the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee (PCCC) could hold the inquiry, but she is seeking legal advice.

Opposition police spokesman Jarrod Bleijie doubted whether the CCC, under recently installed chairman Alan MacSporran QC, would get involved and risk damaging its integrity.

"The new Labor government, the first thing they want to do is again involve the CCC in politics," Mr Bleijie said.

"I think the CCC won't do that because they know the risks associated with that."


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Source: AAP


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