5th September 2007
Union organiser and failed ALP Member for Burdekin Steve Rodgers’
appointment to no less than four FNQ council transition committees made
a mockery of Labor’s claim amalgamation transition committees were not
being stacked with ALP cronies and union hacks, the State Coalition said
today.
Coalition Leader Jeff Seeney questioned the Premier in Parliament this
morning how Steve Rodgers, rejected by the electorate in 2001, was now
better qualified than democratically elected councillors to make major
decisions for Queensland communities.
“What special qualifications, apart from being an ALP mate, does Steve
Rodgers have to sit on no less than four committees for Townsville City
Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Cairns Regional Council and
the Tablelands Regional Council,” Mr Seeney said.
“These committees have been established to make all the structural,
financial, and operational decisions for the new regional Councils.
“How is this failed Labor politician, and now union hack, better
qualified to determine the future of these communities than the people
who have been elected by their own communities for many years and how
many other union hacks have received multiple appointments to determine
the future of communities where they have never lived and never been
elected?” Mr Seeney asked.
Mr Seeney said everyone understood that Mr Beattie was running a grubby
political agenda against local communities.
“But his appointment of Steve Rodgers to four local committees proves
beyond any shadow of doubt just how politicised Mr Beattie’s attack on
local communities has become.
“This is a sheer abuse of power. It proves Mr Beattie is prepared to
ignore any semblance of democratic process. He’s already admitted he was
unfair in denying local communities a voice on forced amalgamations, and
yet he’s still abusing the whole process by appointing people to
transition committees whose only qualification is their allegiance to
the ALP.”
Mr Seeney said while Mr Beattie was destroying thousands of council jobs
across Queensland, he had bought the silence of union leaders, including
Bill Ludwig, by ensuring the transition committees were stacked with ALP
mates.
“As I’ve said before, this is a shameless grab for power to shore up the
flow of money from council workers’ pay packets to Bill Ludwig’s
office.”
Media Contact – Jeff Popp 0438 153 857