Friday 7 March 2008

Backflips and balloons

Nah, nah, we caught the Council out.

Amazing, it takes a little blog to expose the Council who are about to plan a cheap election stunt, like running a birthday bash for the lagoon a few days before we go to the polls. It wasn't even it's birthday!

Did they think they'd actually get away with it? Do they think you're really that stupid?

On Wednesday I wrote about the Esplanade Lagoon's 5th birthday party. This was to be held this Saturday, three weeks in advance of the actual birthday anniversary of the 29th March.


The next day, around midday, the Council's spin doctor, Robyn Holmes, distributed this Media Release - "More honours for Esplanade as lagoon gets ready to celebrate 5th birthday!"

There was no mention of the date being changed, or any reason. Just stated the new date. Rather odd I thought.

Council undertook extensive advertising, including leaflets, that has been out for weeks. Check out your copy of the Cairns Sun this week. It arrived in your soggy letterbox on Wednesday or Thursday. There's a large advert on page 10.

The Post reported the Mayor saying it wasn't about the election. If that was the case, why didn't you leave it where it was? What if CairnsBlog hadn't exposed the story on Wednesday? Would you have still gone ahead with it this Saturday?

The explanation Council gave to the Cairns Post on Friday morning, as it entered fire-fighting mode, was to say it was all about the weather. Is that honestly the best they could come up with?

Congrats to Bronwyn Cummings at the Post for exposing the fact that, the original instigator of the Esplanade Lagoon project Tom Pyne, was not even aware nor invited to the birthday celebrations.
  • -------------------------
    From: Gary Schofield
    Sent: Friday, 22 February 2008 11:17 AM
    To: ~~~All Staff Subject: All staff are cordiially [sic] invited to attend this event with their families.. Saturday 8th March - put it in your diaries and come along and help the Esplanade and lagoon turn five years of age... Cheers Garys

Never mind, I've heard from two sources now that Kevin has already had some staffer prepare his speech for next Saturday night - around 8:30pm.

It will no doubt start with "I concede...", however the night toll rates from PNG are a bit much.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard John McKenzie giving a very awkward account of why the birhtday bash for the lagoon had been put off till the 29th yesterday on his radio programme. He blamed the weather too. Seems the weather is getting blamed for alot this week, including KB's predicted downfall in the election.

Of course absolutely no mention that the 29th March was the real birthday date.

Does MCKenzie really think his listeners are morons?

I had a good chuckle in the car as he was mumbling and getting tongue-tied so he then moved onto the next issue quick smart.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor, Councilors, Desley Boyle, Tourism North Queensland and the Cairns Port Authority between them have systematically put an end to anything worthwhile or remotely interesting in the CBD. I observe the only ones who use the free gas and facilities we pay for in our rates, are the Backpackers. I don't see swarms of Chinese or Japanese Tourists in there either.