Friday 26 June 2009

Up the Grech without a paddle

John Elliot, Malcom Turnbull, Kerie Hull, Cr Alan Blake and even Noel Briggs, have all had a shit of a month.

They've all been harbouring secrets. Big secrets.

As Federal Parliament rises for a six week holiday - as if they need it - opposition leader Turnbull retreats for a welcome break from grilling about his connection with Treasury bureaucrat Godwin Grech.

The unfolding story surrounding the forged email, meant to be kept a secret, has now blown up in the Liberal's face. It's highly likely that the Opposition Coalition has have moles in senior public service roles for many years. The ALP are far from squeaky clean in all this scandal as well.

Political parties and politicians rely on privileged information to embarrass and expose corruption, however checking evidence is often a treacherous journey, with the risks extreme and the benefits great.

Former Carlton president John Elliot, is also in the hot seat after announcing he paid several women off to stop them proceeding with sexual allegations against players.

The drama circling Federal politics has similarities to the discarded Cairns Regional Council CEO Noel Briggs, who despite his early retirement, will not escape investigation. A CMC inquiry will focus on his involvement in the external reports of Councillor Dianne Forsyth and the findings in Jim Henry's report.

Briggs was put in an untenable position and had to leave his $250,000 job, only a year into the term of this new Council. He was ordered by Mayor Val Schier to seek an external report that undoubtedly exposed him and a culture of his creation. Briggs left to avoid further public scrutiny and as expected, the lame media who should be holding the real culprits to account, have fallen back into a deep slumber after only a single day when news was spoon-fed to them as the Henry Report was buried by Briggs. Why haven't they gone digging for the real story? I did.

There's still two more senior Council staff that need to go before Mayor Schier can really get on with the job. She also needs a supportive CEO. Developer-mad Tabulo is not that person.

Communications Manager Kerie Hull is taking a two-week forced sickie, taking her leave to a more than a month since the Cash for Comments drama broke in April. Acting CEO Tabulo is working through Hull's termination procedure. Hull was also connected to the leaking of budget information to the Cairns Post, along with the specific information about a PR backdrop she alone was involved in ordering. The acting CEO is investigating Hull's involvement in this latest act of disloyalty, as she is hell-bent on undermining the Mayor.

Media officer Sonja Anderson, appointed by Hull, who openly tells many around town her disgust for the Mayor she is meant to serve, is going down the same road as the now-ostracised Hull. Her future media career will be clouded by her short repressive tenure at Council.

There's still another month or so before this Council can move on. Councillors Blake, Bonneau and Deputy Mayor Cochrane are now bearing the scars of the last three months that have showed them up as novices and poor representatives of the community that re-elected them.

14 comments:

Bryan Law said...

Blake, Bonneau and Cochrane - a sad refection on the ability of Cairns residents to spot a fake.

nocturnal congress said...

Oh for honesty, loyalty, principles, ethics and integrity! Egos and $$$$$$$$$$$$, that's what it is all about now.

Thornton On Spence said...

From the photos, rumours and sightings quite clearly Cr Blake has not been having a shit of a month. He and Ms Hull have obviously been having a hell of a month. Hopefully his performance with Ms Hull is better than it is with his role in Council. I think Dud is the word used around Council.

I Am The Stig said...

There's a rumour that Cr Alan "Hello Sailor" Blake has traded his Red Mazda MX5 for a Ute which he procured from a "good friend" in the Car business following some assistance in funding by Blake. Kerrie Hull has been leaking information to the opposition and is currently off work due to stress. Sonja Anderson has been interviewed by Federal Police for her complete lack of loyalty and her Career in the Public Service is over.
Who says it only happens in Canberra or Yes Minister. It makes life in Cairns far less boring.

Sir Humphrey said...

Believe me stig i speak from experience for all of the above but I would just like to check on the description of that ute if you have it. Maybe our nautical councillor is looking for something a little less obvious when he is cruising the waterfront this Sunday am??

I Am The Stig said...

Sir Humphrey.

The only information I have is that it looks more like a ships HULL and with the visit of the US Navy will hold a lot of Seamen.

Lillian at Yorkeys said...

What with all the troublemakers & timewasters on Council - & the Blake, Bonneau & Cochrane cabal - I just reckon it's a shame the guillotine has gone out of fashion - a whole lot quicker, easier & cheaper than termination payouts, & think of the composting potential!
I dare say I've ruined my karma quotient for the day.

Jan from Kewarra said...

Perhaps Blake can drop his anchor and dock alongside that other expensive DUD, the Duyfken at Port Douglas.

good riddance to these two total wastes of ratepayers money!

Bryan Outlaw said...

Yo Bryan,

Given the 2% in votes you got at your last pathetic run at public office (the holders of which you loathe with such vitriol), and the 1% that your mate Syd got during his run, I submit Cairns residents can spot a fake a mile away.

Bryan Law said...

Mr Outlaw, actually it was 6.7% I got in 2004, and when I run in 2012 I expect 14-16%. What did you get?

Outlaw - no more! said...

Brian Outlaw is such a twisted, pathetic little worm.


When he can't summon the intellectual know how to rationally debate he just lies...and lies....and lies.

According to the Queensland Electoral Commission website Syd received over 15% of the vote - granted it was not a large vote but it was respectable - he certainly was not the wooden spoon.

Brian Law received 6.3% of the vote in 2004; not as good as Syd's percentage but certainly more than the 2% this outlaw character creditted him with.

I admire anyone who puts their hands up for public office. Perhaps Mister/Master/Mistress/Miss/Ms Outlaw should try it some time. I would be surprised if he received even one vote.

Pauline Hanson said...

Read my book ... "How to maintain an envious life style, little effort required, apart from the odd photo shoot, all at tax-payers expense ...

nocturnal congress said...

I had to laugh when Pauline told reporters that she "always likes to travel overseas at Christmas because Christmas isn't Christmas unless it is white." Yeah, right. And this clown wanted to "serve Australia"? Australia???

Syd Walker said...

I once copped a blizzard on a bushwalk through the Walls of Jerusalem National Park in Tasmania, soon after Christmas Day. It made us all thoroughly miserable. Pauline would do well to open a guesthouse nearby and sell hot vegan soup and white woolly underwear.