A journalist and cameraman from the ABC have been barred from Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate's press conference a day after a Four Corners investigation into developer donations at his council.

The Four Corners story, broadcast on the ABC on Monday night, revealed deputy mayor Donna Gates voted in favour of developer applications linked to her campaign donors nearly 30 times since 2016, acknowledging a conflict of interest.

Credit:Glenn Hunt

While the decision to not leave the council chamber or abstain from voting did not breach the Local Government Act, it raised questions over whether the rules should be changed in Queensland.

On Tuesday, a Gold Coast staffer told waiting media Channels 7, 9 and 10 could go upstairs to the media conference, instead of in the council chambers foyer where such conferences were normally held.