Letters: Dramatic fall of former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale

Today readers have their say on former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale’s extortion conviction, swimmer Mack Horton’s stand against drugs in sport and the prospect of a nuclear power plant.

Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale leaves the District Court in Brisbane. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

YOUR front-page and accompanying stories (C-M, Jul 25) regarding former Ipswich City Council mayor Paul Pisasale being found guilty of extortion is, as you say, just one element of an extraordinary series of events involving this council.

Former mayor Andrew Antoniolli and former CEO Carl Wulff have already been found guilty of fraud or corruption and many more are facing court on a range of charges.

We can’t say we weren’t warned.

The former Labor turned Independent state member for Cairns, Rob Pyne, a self-confessed “corruption fighter”, must be crowing at those who called him a maverick and a coward when he tabled allegations about systemic corruption in local government in 2017.

Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam, at the time, called for the Speaker of State Parliament, Peter Wellington, to censure Pyne, accusing him of abusing parliamentary privilege.

With the sacking of both the Ipswich and Logan city councils we have a lot to thank this whistleblower for.

Valdy Kwitowski, Salisbury

ONCE lauded as the most popular Queensland politician and a people’s mayor, Paul Pisasale’s world came crashing down in shame when a jury in the Brisbane District Court found him guilty of extortion while pretending to be a private investigator.

How delusional and greedy of Pisasale to claim in his pathetic defence that he was “a sucker for a damsel in distress”.

The love of money is the root of all evil, and this was the major factor in Pisasale’s fall from grace.

I’m sure there is a first-draft screenplay already under way that will rival the Underbelly series.

Rudolf Bojtschuk, Brisbane City

PERHAPS the now utterly destroyed Ipswich CBD should become a memorial, a reminder to the people of Ipswich of former mayor Paul Pisasale’s contribution to their city.

One day the Ipswich CBD will be reborn as a bustling and vibrant city centre.

However, a rebirth of Pisasale’s reputation seems most unlikely.

The day will also come when a fine and much loved and respected mayor or mayoress will grace Ipswich.

The good people of Ipswich deserve a bright future to look forward to.

Crispin Walters, Chapel Hill

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Cartoon by Warren Brown

FINA NEEDS TO BACK HORTON’S STAND

WEAK sporting bodies are not uncommon and struggle when a popular, though to them an embarrassing, situation arises.

The Mack Horton controversy (C-M, Jul 25) is one such issue.

Drugs in international sport have been rife for decades, so is it any wonder that clean sportspersons want them wiped out?

I’m sure FINA feels the same but appears at a loss to take a stand like so many competitors and former sportspeople have.

FINA has no conscience when it comes to dealing fairly with blatant drug-based cheating and so many deserving swimmers have missed medals as a result of this lassitude.

Now is the time for FINA to stand strong as Mack Horton et al have.

Ken Johnston, Rochedale South

MACK Horton’s grandstanding refusal to share the podium with gold medallist Sun Yang would be truly principled if Horton were to hypothetically maintain his moralistic stance if first and second were reversed.

Alas the swimming world will never know.

Horton is entitled to protest over the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs conferring a significant advantage to his rival Yang.

The timing of his public gestures at the world championships, however, is calculated to destabilise the rest of Yang’s swimming program in Gwangju.

If Horton’s outrage against drug use is genuine, he has had ample time to broach his suspicions before now and not during the championships.

Yang tested positive in 2014 and has served his suspension.

Horton’s protests distract Yang to diminish his prospects in races yet to be swum.

Joseph Ting, Carina

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PROGRESS WITH NUCLEAR

STATE Development Minister Cameron Dick says a nuclear power plant would be a disaster for industry, for jobs and for growth in our state (C-M, Jul 25).

Many countries around the world have nuclear power and jobs, industry and growth all continue.

It appears the minister is still in the dark ages and is happy to parrot the party line without any thought of progressing the state.

I guess he is happy to pay huge subsidies to those who live by renewables.

Tony Miles, Chermside

CAMERON Dick makes little or no sense.

A nuclear power plant, along with a modern coal-fired power station, would provide industry with cheap, reliable power, replacing the subsided unreliable renewable energy which we pay for with much higher electricity prices and the loss of industry.

Time to listen to the majority and stop dreaming.

Rod Watson, Surfers Paradise

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