The Liberal party has apologised to the prime minister’s wife after the party headlined one of Lucy Turnbull’s public roles at a fundraiser without her consent.
Invitations for a party fundraiser name-checked Turnbull’s public role as chief commissioner, Greater Sydney Commission, when she believed her attendance was in the capacity of prime ministerial spouse. The fundraiser was a women’s event, with a theme of workforce participation and advancing gender equity.
The funds raised at the lunchtime knees-up in Sydney on Wednesday will also be directed to a charity instead of party coffers.
“Without Mrs Turnbull’s knowledge, the invitations made reference to one of her public roles,” said a Liberal party spokesman on Wednesday. “The Liberal party has apologised to Mrs Turnbull for this mistake. Because of this mistake, the proceeds from the functions will be paid today to the St Vincent de Paul Society CEO Sleepout, in support of women’s refuges.”
The blunder once again puts the spotlight on political fundraising. Both sides of politics have been working overtime to rise cash to fund campaigning activities and advertising blitzes over this marathon election season.
The Liberal party has been under pressure over fundraising, with a call early in the campaign from party insiders to reform Australia’s deficient donation and disclosure regime.
Michael Yabsley, a longtime Liberal party fundraiser, told the ABC’s Four Corners program, in the wake of fundraising controversies in NSW, it was now crunch time. “You have the damage that has been done to the reputations of many, many individuals, to the reputations of many companies and the reputations of the major political parties,” he said. “It all points to the absolute case to do away with the system of political fundraising that we currently have.”
The Liberal party has also faced persistent questions during the campaign over Parakeelia – the party’s software company.
Liberal MPs and senators pay $2,550 from their office allowance to Liberal-owned Parakeelia Pty Ltd to provide software services. The software company has remitted a total of $1m back to the Liberal party, including $500,000 in the past financial year, designated as “other receipts”.
The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has declared “this looks like a Liberal party washing machine turning taxpayer dollars into Liberal party profits.”
Scott Morrison said: “there is absolutely nothing to suggest – and no one has presented a shred of anything credible – to suggest there is anything inappropriate about these arrangements.”
Both major parties have flagged an intention to look at donations reform post-election, but neither the Liberal nor Labor party supports the creation of a federal anti-corruption body.
