Cairns MP Michael Healy responds to Warren Entsch ‘spear chuckers’ barb
Cairns MP Michael Healy has taken aim at Federal MP Warren Entsch over conflict of interest claims to do with his wife.
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Cairns MP Michael Healy has taken aim at Federal MP Warren Entsch over conflict of interest claims to do with his wife.
Mr Entsch and his wife Yolonde have come under fire after he approved a taxpayer-funded grant to a “women’s empowerment” charity without disclosing his wife was the face of the organisation and its president.
Yolonde Entsch, who will contest the seat of Cairns as an LNP candidate in October’s state elections, was made president of The Social Effect in March 2021 and in December, her husband announced the grant funding.
The Social Effect was one of 28 local community organisations announced by Mr Entsch to share in $111,975 from the Morrison government’s $20m volunteer grants fund.
Ms Entsch’s role as the “charity’s” president was not disclosed.
It is understood she provided face-painting and “character building workshops” for children in the Torres Strait and the Northern Territory in 2019 for my pathway.
Mr Entsch announced the My Pathway, alongside Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council (GBK council) would partner in a $5m seawall building project in April that year.
But the Federal MP said there was no connection between the announcement and his partner’s work.
“Yes, I did lobby for the money and I did announce it but there’s no relation,” Mr Entsch said.
He defended his decision not to declare the conflict this week, saying the “attack” was the work of “Labor Party spear chuckers”.
But Mr Healy said it had “nothing to do with the Labor Party and everything to do with integrity”.
“These are investigative journalists,” he said.
“They are presenting to the community things of concern, it’s their job.”
Mr Healy said the issues go to the heart of the integrity of elected figures.
“Yet again Warren Entsch is embroiled in reports of a conflict-of-interest scandal,” he said.
“Throwing away a couple lines about spear chuckers is not going to work.
“People want to know what’s happening and they want details, facts and figures and I think that is reasonable.
“It’s only fair and just for the people of Cairns.”
Mr Entsch said Yolonde did not receive any benefit, “not a single cent from this grant,” and said he “played no role in the decision making process whatsoever”.
The Federal MP said all the grant applications were considered and recommended by a local independent community consultation panel.
Mr Entsch said it was “incredibly disappointing to see the Labor Party and journalists attacking a strong female candidate”.
“I think it’s unfair on her that when grumps see her doing well they try to take her down.”
Mr Healy said the idea that raising issues from the past was unfair, was “ridiculous”.
“At the end of the day integrity is a fundamental expectation from your publicly elected figures and I’ll let the people of Cairns make that decision.”
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