Monday 17 October 2011

The email that Cr Alan Blake sent on Thursday

On Thursday Mayor Val Schier sent a message to all Cairns Regional Councillors after Cr Sno Bonneau didn't advise when he was away from Cairns and neither the CEO or Schier was aware where he was.

CBD division 5 councillor Alan Blake responded angrily.

"Yeah, I get it. Advise when you are out of town and your political mongrels lodge a CMC claim against you," Blake wrote.

I don't think anyone needs to wait until a councillor is away from town to lodge a complaint? Surely the CMC doesn't care.

He went on to write...

"None of us have any trust in the politics you introduced into this council..... Roll on March 31st."

The outrage and public anger from Blake comes days after a Crime and Misconduct Complaint was lodged against the Division 5 councillor that is based on at least 14 occasions where he did not declare a conflict before voting.

He at first called the incident "politically motivated", a day later Blake told the Cairns Post the votes had occurred during a "grey period" when the Local Government Act changed the way councillors declared their interests. He also said Cairns Regional councillors "were confused about their obligations to declare financial interests in the chamber because they hadn’t been properly briefed."

The CMC investigation will reveal this of course. An almost identical series of complaints against Cr Sno Bonneau will be out within the next month and is expected to reveal serious misconduct, carrying penalties from substantial fines to a prison sentence.

Both Bonneau and Blake have been a councillor for more than 10 years. Surely they know the protocol, and courtesy to advise the Mayor and CEO when they will be away from Cairns? On a $100,000 salary that we all pay for, and they can't even advise their "boss."

Here's what Cr Forsyth sent last Wednesday evening...
  • From: Cr Diane Forsyth
    Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2011 5:46 PM
    To: Lyn Russell; Val Schier
    Cc: Sharon Bennie; Kirsten Lesina
    Subject: Away from Cairns

    Dear Lyn and Val,

    I will be in Brisbane from Friday 14th October for a 2 day ALGWA Qld., executive meeting. I will return to Cairns on Tuesday 18th October, in the morning after taking the opportunity to travel to Sydney Sunday and Monday (to see my grandson and daughter).

    I will have my landline transferred to Sharon Bennie and will be available on mobile and email. I will be away two working days, however, if there is an issue needing urgent attention Cr Lesina can be contacted to assist.

    Kind Regards
    Diane
    Cr Di Forsyth

    Division 7 Councillor
    PO Box 359, Cairns Q 4870
    P: 07 4044 3077 M: 0438 729 407
    www.cairns.qld.gov.au

Here's the Mayor's reply, that she copied to all Councillors...
  • From: Val Schier
    Sent: Thursday, 13 October 2011 09:28 AM
    To: All Councillors
    Subject: Re: Away from Cairns

    Councillors,

    This is the type of notification that some councillors give me in relation to any absences from the city/region. It ensures that both the CEO and I are informed and that arrangements are in place to respond to any constituent enquiries.

    Val

    Cr Val Schier
    Mayor, Cairns Regional Council
    Phone: 07 4044 3083
    Email: v.schier@cairns.qld.gov.au

Here's Councillor Alan Blake's reply...
  • From: Alan Blake
    Sent: Thursday, 13 October 2011 11:28 AM
    To: Val Schier
    Cc: All Councillors
    Subject: Re: Away from Cairns


    Yeah, I get it. Advise when you are out of town and your political mongrels lodge a CMC claim against you .

    None of us have any trust in the politics you introduced into this council..... Roll on March 31st.

    Councillor Alan Blake
    Cairns Regional Council
    0414 708 529

13 comments:

Terry Vance said...

Looks like there will have to be legislation enforcing the same regulations regarding leave that we all have in the work place. None of us can take holidays when we want to. It has to be when the boss says so, so that the business can function smoothly. And we have to put forward our requests for leave, earlier on in the year so the boss can plan the year ahead, arrange for temp. staff if he needs it etc.

CBD Tarzan said...

Yep you sure nailed it councilor Blake.
Roll on 31st of March.
Maybe you can setup another business with other peoples ideas and money.
You wonder why your under investigation?
Really?

Alison Alloway said...

Time to take this matter up with the State Government to enact changes to the Local Government Act enforcing the same requirements as everyone else in the work place. How about for a start, only five weeks annual leave and the timing of which must be approved by the Councils CEO.

Ross Parisi said...

Controversy seems to follow Cr. Blake very closely, indeed with every step he takes politically, most of it brought upon himself.One of the main reasons why the Schier council is dysfunctional is the political manoeuvrings of Blake and the declared Mayor candidate Cr Cochrane. These two Councillor in particular, have worked 'hand in glove' to destabilise the Council to the point that it would have to be one of the most dysfunctional Council in Queensland local government history.

Therefore, it does not surprise me that aggrieved citizens have taken the action that they have. What I find strange is that the Cairns Regional Council CEO should have referred the alleged activities to the CMC long before now.

Cr. Blake is not reluctant to play hard ball whenever he feels its appropriate to further his own cause. He currently has defamation action against Michael Moore and CairnsBlog. To complain now about dirty tricks etc is a bit rich in the circumstances.

You reap what you sow Cr. Blake.

Bryan Law said...

Ross, while I agree with much of what you say, the intransigence of old guard Councillors is but one (fairly small) factor in Council's dysfunction.

As mayor, Val enjoys executive authority re CRC, and COULD have achieved an awful lot by working with and harnessing the good will and talents of Cairns' various communities.

Val herself chose not to. She quickly retreated to the corporate/bureaucratic mold, sucked up to the booster groups, and told most community based activists to piss off.

She'd have to be hoping right now that the corporate world will support her re-election. They won't. Neither will I. Val's done more damage to Cairns community (City Place, military expansion, funding corporate parasites) than Kevin Byrne ever did.

nomooremike said...

"Val's done more damage to Cairns community (City Place, military expansion, funding corporate parasites) than Kevin Byrne ever did."

With bullshit like that you should be campaigning for Gavin King ......

Michael P Moore said...

He is. He is!

Bryan Outlaw said...

Bryan Law went anti-Val when she failed to support his one and only issue. Law has sat at several CBD revitalisation meetings, his only goal to ensure expansion of what he thinks is his personal "speaker's corner". He's angry that he doesn't have the current funnel-type layout where he can harass every single passerby on Shields and Lake streets. When it became clear that he was going to be relegated to the Lagoon area, along with jugglers, fire-eaters, topless women, and various community hobos and yabbos, he began his anti-Val campaign and juvenile antics like his so-called support of Gavin King.

Let's face it, the fat fucker is a self-promoter basically only interested in hearing the sound of his own pathetic, whiney voice. As he fades gradually into the detritus of Cairns 1970, those of us now driving the city forward look at him fondly, and humourlessly, in our rear view mirrors.

Adios, Bryan. Enjoy your next gaol stint.

Bryan Law said...

Nomooremike IS Val Schier (and Desley Boyle). The hair is a giveaway.

Bryan Law said...

"Adios, Bryan. Enjoy your next gaol stint."

Only if you're there to kiss me goodnight you spunky, spunky man.

Veritas said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Veritas said...

Aaaah, Blake and his delusions of moral adequacy. Lock up your family, keep your hands on your wallets, keep your good ideas to yourself and never turn your back on this foul creature of the night. Ever!

Terry Vance said...

Hmmm Vertias, sounds like to me as if you are describing someone who will top the polls in Cairns.