Updated ,first published
Queensland’s minister for the 2032 Olympics has been referred to the federal police over allegations he falsely enrolled to vote at a staffer’s home while not living there.
Tim Mander wrote to state and federal electoral authorities last month after details of his living arrangements after a separation from his wife of 44 years were made public.
While state laws allow MPs to be enrolled to vote in their electorate despite not living there, federal laws do not – and include criminal offences for providing false or misleading information.
In a statement on Thursday, an Australian Electoral Commission spokesperson said the agency had made enquiries about the matter and given Mander a chance to provide supporting evidence.
“While a determination has not been made, the AEC does consider that there is currently an absence of compelling evidence to determine Mr Mander resided at the enrolled address,” the spokesperson said.
“As such, on 19 May the AEC referred this matter to the AFP [Australian Federal Police] for their consideration, and any action they consider appropriate.”
“As the matters in question concern a potential criminal offence under the Criminal Code Act 1995, the appropriate authority to undertake any further investigation into these issues is the Australian Federal Police.”
The AFP has been contacted for comment. Mander has also been contacted, but has previously denied wrongdoing and insisted he made the correct disclosures at the appropriate times.
The former NRL-referee and state Scripture Union chief executive, first elected to his Brisbane seat of Everton in 2012, has faced intense recent scrutiny over the intersection of his private life and public responsibilities.
This began last month, when The Australian first reported Mander and his current partner – Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm – had disclosed a joint property purchase to cabinet colleagues.
The pair had, in July last year, declared their relationship to cabinet, with Mander reported to have spent time living in parliamentary accommodation after separating from his wife of many years.
Among the reporting last month, it emerged Mander was enrolled to vote at the Arana Hills rental home of his electorate officer – but was not recognised by neighbours.
The matter was promptly picked up by the Labor opposition, which declared Mander had “serious questions to answer” about the matter.
In a statement to parliament the following day, Mander said he was currently enrolled at his permanent address and had “complied with the requirements of the Electoral Commission of Queensland at all times”.
After additional reports that Mander’s former sister-in-law raised concerns about use of public funds by the pair across at least a two-year relationship in a letter to Crisafulli last June, questions widened to include the pair’s disclosure of their earlier affair on being sworn in as ministers.
Earlier this month, Mander and Camm said they were in a relationship from June 2023 to May 2024, and “reconnected” in June 2025 after Mander separated from his wife in April that year, at which point the pair made appropriate disclosures.
The pair then held separate media conferences to address the matters, but declined to detail conversations with the state’s Integrity Commissioner.
At that time, Mander stated the Arana Hills property had been his principal place of residence from early January to the end of March.
Government figures, including Mander, have previously dismissed the matter as a distraction and sought to air personal details about Labor opposition figures in response.
While Crisafulli has stood by the pair, he has also called on anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to come forward.
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Matt Dennien is a reporter at Brisbane Times covering state politics, parliament and the public sector. He has previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.
