Ironically from Flufferfax:
A speech Turnbull government MP Stuart Robert gave to Parliament defending the Gold Coast property developer Sunland was substantially written by the lead lobbyist for the company.
Fairfax Media can reveal that former Tony Abbott staffer-turned-developer-lobbyist Simone Holzapfel was the true author of whole sections of the speech that Mr Robert delivered in November 2012.
Ms Holzapfel wrote a four-page defence of Sunland after a November 17 newspaper article scrutinised the company’s dispute with an Australian man 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.
Ms Holzapfel’s words make up more than half of the speech.
Mr Robert has refused to comment on the revelation, which once again puts the spotlight on his connections with Sunland. Mr Robert’s links to the company have come under scrutiny as part of a Queensland corruption inquiry into political donations to Gold Coast City Council candidates, which involves his fundraising body, the Fadden Forum.
Definitely a couple of journos there to add to the Michael West hit list.
