Under fire: Liberal National Party MP Stuart Robert is the latest politician to be engulfed in a donations scandal. Credit:Andrew Meares Ms Holzapfel wrote a four-page defence of Sunland after a November 17 newspaper article scrutinised the company's dispute with the Australian men, who spent five years trapped in a legal nightmare in Dubai. Seven sections of that response - provided to various government officials and obtained by Fairfax Media - subsequently found their way into Mr Robert's adjournment debate speech on November 26. Mr Abedian gave the LNP another $7500 in 2014-15, according to official disclosure return documents. Sunland also gave $5000 to the LNP in 2014-15, bringing the total to at least $25,000. Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said Mr Robert had been caught out before doing the bidding of LNP donors, referring to a scandal that ended his frontbench career in February.

"This looks like another shocking example," Mr Dreyfus told Fairfax Media. "Having a lobbyist for a property developer write speeches for Mr Robert to give in Parliament shows an unacceptable level of influence. It's as good as the developer giving the speech himself. "To find donations from this same property developer have subsequently been made to the LNP suggests this was a 'cash for comment' deal. "This is as dodgy as it gets." But Sunland says all its donations are "transparent" and detailed in the Electoral Commission of Queensland website.

"The group denies any assertions that it has gained any benefit through donations to the Labor and Liberal parties," a spokesperson said. Information regarding any employee's attendance at events or fundraisers is a private matter and not for Sunland to provide commentary on, she said. "Our employees and management are well within their rights to attend community events and fundraisers held by their local representatives and this is done so without any expectation of favour or benefit." Sunland - established 33 years ago and publicly listed for the last 20 years - said it would not comment on matters currently before the court or on the conduct of "third parties". The Sunland donations come in addition to the $114,000 donated by Ms Holzafpel - who used to work as a staffer to former prime minister Tony Abbott - in the lead-up to the 2013 election.



The Gold Coast-based head of SHAC Communications, Ms Holzafpel says the money came from her own pocket and has rejected suggestions she channelled it from any of her clients.

Much of Ms Holzapfel's money was donated directly to Mr Robert's fundraising vehicle, the Fadden Forum. The Fadden Forum is now being examined as part of a Queensland corruption inquiry after it was revealed it was used to secretly bankroll two candidates in the Gold Coast City Council elections. Kristyn Boulton and Felicity Stevenson - who both worked for Mr Robert - were given $30,000 each to run at the March poll but their LNP links were not disclosed until months later. They both ran as independents. Ms Boulton was elected to the council while Ms Stevenson returned to Mr Robert's employ. The revelations came as the council considered a controversial development application by Sunland.

The company this week temporarily withdrew the proposal for a 44-storey complex at the Spit amid community opposition - two days after a Fairfax Media investigation into the saga. But Mr Robert supports the Sunland proposal and has urged councillors to approve it. In a speech to Parliament in October 2012, Mr Robert praised Sunland as a "great Queensland company" and their directors as "fine, upstanding men" and "pillars of the community". "I know the Sunland directors well and their integrity is beyond reproach," he said. Fairfax Media is not alleging any wrongdoing on the part of Mr Abedian. He has in the past also donated to the Labor Party.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Robert's conduct "absolutely stinks". "Mr Turnbull needs to show some leadership. He needs to front the Australian people and say whether or not he thinks it is acceptable." Mr Robert was asked about the speech by a Nine Network TV crew when he emerged from a committee in Parliament House on Wednesday. He repeatedly said he had "no comment to make". Treasurer Scott Morrison was asked on Wednesday about Fairfax Media's report on Mr Robert's speech but declined to comment. "I am not aware of the matters you are referring to so it would be inappropriate for me to offer any sort of response," he said.

Mr Robert's November speech is one of two contentious speeches he made about the dispute between Sunland and Marcus Lee. Mr Lee is an accountant and property executive who was arrested on fraud charges in Dubai in 2009 after a land deal between Sunland and his company Nakheel went bad. He spent nine months in jail and then a further four years under house arrest. He was fully acquitted in 2013 and returned home to Australia in 2014. He is now attempting to sue Sunland over the saga. John Sneddon, lawyer for Mr Lee, said Mr Robert's speech had endangered his client and had been a "bizarre thing to do". "If the lobbyist is representing a third party and that third party's interests are being advanced in that way in the Australian Parliament then I think that's something the government should be concerned about," he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's office has declined to comment. Sunland has been approached for comment.

But senior LNP sources are furious over the latest revelations. "How could he be so stupid?" said one. "It's just so blatant. And it has come back to bite."



Mr Robert has also refused to comment. But asked if Sunland had donated to Mr Robert's campaign or the Fadden Forum this year, a spokesman for Mr Robert said: "No." Labor's Terri Butler described Mr Robert as a "corporate mouthpiece". ​Government MP Andrew Laming said it was not unusual for companies to have some influence over speeches - but those influences had to be sourced and referenced. "And if there's an element of donation you'd have to make it very clear," he said.

Mr Robert was sacked from Mr Turnbull's frontbench in February after it was revealed he used his ministerial office to open doors for a mining company led by major LNP donor Paul Marks. Follow us on Twitter