Monday 26 March 2012

Former councillor Ross Parisi to contest election

Former Mulgrave Shire Councillor and Barron Delta farmer, Ross Parisi, will contest the Cairns Regional Council election, at the end of April.

Parisi, who when elected in elected 1976 at 23 years of age, was the youngest elected in Cairns at the time. Former Councillor Kirsten Lesina broke the record in 2008 when she was elected at 21.

Paris will contest the Division 9 seat, held by Sno Bonneau, who has said he will not run again. Bonneau was subject to a year-long investigation in campaign donations and accused of not declaring conflicts before voting.

"I continue to hold a passion for the betterment of our community and I will endeavour to achieve positive change," Parisi says. "As an inquisitive human being, I am on a journey of exploration and expansion of my knowledge."

"I will not be representing any party," Parisi told CairnsBlog.

Parisi has recently returned to James Cook University and is studying law, politics and history. He is also a Justice of the Peace and a Commissioner for Declarations.

Former Mulgrave Shire councillor and local Barron River farmer Ross Parisi, said Bonneau and Blake should stand down.

"[They] should stand down from any official position and not participate in any Cairns Regional Council duty while they are under investigation for possible breach of conduct," Ross Parisi told CairnsBlog at the time. "Any elected position is one of trust and for that trust to be compromised is not acceptable under our Westminster system of democracy and public accountability."

Parisi has also been very critical of the way former Ccuncillor Sno Bonneau acted in relation to campaign donations, a charge taken to the CEO by Councillor Rob Pyne, and cleared just three weeks ago, 24 hours after announcing his retirement.

"The allegations that the councillor may have accepted undeclared donations from developers and may have voted in development applications are serious matters and go to the core in public probity," Ross Parisi said.

"One of the major tenet in our parliamentary government democracy is that all citizens are subject to the law and that justice needs to be done but also is seen to be done."

"The Councillors [Bonneau and Blake] should be given the opportunity to stand aside with dignity and falling that the Cairns Regional Council's CEO should demand that they stand down without pay and refrain from any Council engagement while the allegations are investigated by the Regional Conduct Review Panel," Parisi said at the time.

"Once I read the Review Panel's report, there are still many serious questions to be answered," Parisi told CairnsBlog.

5 comments:

V said...

Time to add a new name to the Cairns Mayor poll, Mike?

Community Reformation Action Group (CRAG) said...

With Kevin Byrnes Unity team and Margaret Cochranes Alliance team we need to question the use of "teams" ... surely the peoples choice in each division should not be influenced by political
"tactics-money" .

Consider ... if Rob Pyne or Ross Parisi won't stand as an anti corruption Mayor ... should we the people draft a universally respected independent candidate such as Harald Falge ?.

Michael Weitzmann said...

CRAG....you can't draft a mayoral candidate. They have to nominate & put themselves before the people. You can certainly urge someone to stand, donate to their election campaign and generally support them in any way you can. I think nominations have closed yesterday anyway, so you'll have to wait another 4 years.

Community Reformation Action Group (CRAG) said...

MW come out from behind the curtain - why don't you admit you are an inplant in the LNP - drop the rhetoric - learn to be accurate ...

1.This blog was aware of this suggestion for a peoples nominee sometime ago but never ran with it.

2.Draft means "selection of" for a special purpose .

3.Nominations closed noon 27/3/12

Michael Weitzmann said...

CRAG (whoever you are???), if you read my post properly, you will see that I'm aware when the nominations closed. "We the people" can't draft/select anyone, we can however vote for those who nominate. Why leave it to just before nominations close to start complaining that you don't like any of the candidates? If your "peoples nominee" couldn't get his/her act together and "run with it" prior to nominations closing, too bad. Clearly no one cares except you - try harder next time.