昆士兰州副总理贾罗德·布莱吉因与澳大利亚首富吉娜·瑞恩哈特的会面受到质询。[1]布莱吉声称两人的对话限于讨论天气，并强调政府的决策独立性不受亿万富豪影响。[1]根据政府记录，布莱吉是克里萨富利政府中唯一与瑞恩哈特或其所属汉考克勘探公司相关人士会面的部长。[1]两人自2024年选举后进行了两次会晤，分别在去年10月和今年1月。[1]
争议的焦点在于瑞恩哈特对基础设施决策的影响。[1]瑞恩哈特曾致函游说政府在洛克汉普顿建设划船场馆，但这一提议与政府自身的100天奥运场馆审查建议相悖。[1]当被问及瑞恩哈特的游说信件是否影响了决定时，布莱吉否认了这一点，称"政府做决定，不是亿万富豪做决定"。[1]然而，当记者追问信件的送达时间时，布莱吉拒绝作答。[1]瑞恩哈特是澳大利亚游泳队和昆士兰划船队的赞助人，并通过汉考克子公司昆士兰煤炭投资公司在昆士兰拥有商业利益。[1]
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie faced scrutiny over his meetings with Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, dismissing concerns by characterizing the discussions as casual conversation about weather.[1] Bleijie is the only minister in the Crisafulli government to have met with Rinehart or representatives of her Hancock Prospecting company.[1] The two held meetings on two occasions following the 2024 election: once in October last year and again in January of this year.[1]
The controversy centers on Rinehart's lobbying efforts regarding infrastructure decisions.[1] Rinehart wrote to government advocating for the construction of a rowing facility in Rockhampton, a proposal that contradicted recommendations from the government's own 100-day review of Games venues.[1] When questioned about whether Rinehart's lobbying letter influenced the decision, Bleijie insisted it had no impact but refused to specify when the letter was received.[1] Rinehart holds commercial interests in Queensland through her subsidiary Queensland Coal Investments and serves as a sponsor of both the Australian swimming team and the Queensland rowing team.[1]
Defending the government's independence, Bleijie stated that "government makes decisions, not billionaires make decisions."[1]