Nearly $40,000 raised at a charity golf day organised for Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale's Community Fund last year was instead channelled into his political campaign war chest.

The revelation, in documents obtained by the ABC, came as Councillor Pisasale was referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) after an investigation by the State Government's Local Government department.

It is not clear what the CMC referral is related to.

The golf day, which took place at the Brookwater course at Springfield on September 15, attracted about a dozen Queensland businesses, each of which spent between $1,000 and $5,000 to sponsor the event.

Some also bought items of sporting memorabilia at auction after the golf.

Promotional material and the itinerary for the day described it as being for the Ipswich Mayor's Community Fund, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for people in need in Ipswich. The fund's logo was displayed prominently in the brochures.

In a letter to invitees, the Mayor wrote: "Join with me and high profile business personalities and support the Ipswich Mayor's Community Fund, which helps people in need throughout the city of Ipswich."

But the ABC has obtained invoices issued by the organisers after of the golf day that show the costs of sponsorship and auction items were invoiced in the name of Forward Ipswich Inc, the Mayor's political campaign fund.

In addition, a document detailing donations to Forward Ipswich provided to the ABC by Cr Pisasale shows $40,000 was raised at the golf day for the fund.

The organiser of the golf day, GP Events, has told the ABC it was specifically asked by the Mayor's office to bill the attendees in the name of Forward Ipswich.

The ABC has contacted several of the companies that attended.

Japanese development company Sekisui House, which paid $2,500 to sponsor a hole at the golf day, confirmed it had received the bill from Forward Ipswich Inc.

Another attendee, who did not wish to be named, said he had participated and given generously because he thought the money was going to a charity, and was angry and disappointed to find otherwise.

Other attendees did not wish to comment.

A spokesman for the Mayor said the Mayor's Community fund had "received $35,470.20 from the golf day [after expenses] run by Forward Ipswich".

The ABC has asked Cr Pisasale's office about when the transfer was made and why Forward Ipswich was involved in the event. It is yet to receive a response.

CMC referral comes after register of interest investigation.

The State Government's Local Government department has been investigating allegations Councillor Pisasale did not disclosed donations on his register of interest, despite being required to update it within 30 days of a change.

A department spokesman confirmed that "a matter" involving Councillor Pisasale has been referred to the CMC.

The spokesman did not give details of what "the matter" was.

The ABC revealed last week that Cr Pisasale had raised more than $140,000 in previously undeclared political donations since being elected in 2012, with much of it received from developers in the months immediately after the election.

This includes the $40,000 attributed to the September 2013 golf day.

Forward Ipswich Inc is an incorporated association regulated by Queensland's Office of Fair Trading.

Its articles show it was set up "to promote the City of Ipswich and its leadership".

Cr Pisasale has used it to raise almost $300,000 in campaign donations since 2008.

The Ipswich Mayor's Community Fund Inc is also an incorporated association regulated by Fair Trading.

But by contrast the Community Fund's articles state that its purpose is to "pursue charitable purposes beneficial to the community".

Set up in 2011, it raised $1.2 million in its first year of operation and about $250,000 in each subsequent year, according to financial returns to Fair Trading.

It handed out $305,000 in 2011 and $1.16 million the following year.

With just $30,000 distributed in 2013, it still has cash assets of almost $320,000.

Both organisations have Cr Pisasale as their president. Fellow Ipswich councillors Paul Tully and Victor Attwood are co-signatories on the Community Fund's cheque account.

Do you know more about this story? Email investigations@abc.net.au.

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