The Crime and Corruption Commission alleges Pisasale was provided with a prostitute
CORRUPTION investigators allege fallen Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale had a prostitute arranged for him by a Melbourne developer.
Crime & Justice
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CORRUPTION investigators allege fallen Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale had a prostitute arranged for him by a Melbourne developer.
A dinner at lauded Brisbane restaurant Gambaros was also among allegations of inducements that form part of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s official corruption charge levelled at Pisasale.
Pisasale, 66, is among 15 people in the sights of the CCC following a 23-month investigation into Ipswich council. The fallout triggered the State Government yesterday to introduce legislation to sack the council, in a move attracting support from the Opposition.
Investigators allege Pisasale corruptly agreed to “champion” a project by Melbourne developer Chris Pinzone at Ipswich’s Yamanto by influencing council staff and private contractors between November 2016 and May 26 last year.
Pisasale has also been charged with fraud over an allegation he falsely claimed council trips to meet Pinzone, including a trip to Melbourne for a Bruce Springsteen concert.
Sources with knowledge of the CCC probe said investigators allege Pisasale made arrangements for the meeting with Pinzone to coincide with Springsteen performing in February 2017.
Pinzone, 36, was hoping to turn a vacant block of scrub in West Ipswich’s Yamanto into a multimillion-dollar precinct with a petrol station, fast-food outlets and child care.
Pisasale met with Pinzone another time at luxury Melbourne CBD hotel The Westin in May last year, where it is alleged Pinzone arranged a licensed Asian prostitute to visit Pisasale’s room.
Pinzone has not been charged with any offence, but has been interviewed by the CCC.
He denied paying for any prostitute for Pisasale when questioned by The Courier-Mail on yesterday and declined to comment further for legal reasons.
Attempts to obtain comment from Pisasale, who has previously indicated he would fight allegations of wrongdoing, were unsuccessful.
The former long-time mayor is also accused of fraud over a Sydney trip in December 2016.
Ipswich council records show Pisasale had approval to travel to Sydney to meet “Veolia executives” on December 11, 2016, and Pisasale declared receiving accommodation from the company “in my capacity as mayor to attend meetings”.
But the CCC has called into question whether the Veolia meetings were prearranged.
The trip coincided with a Keith Urban concert, with Pisasale declaring on his council register to having received a free ticket from Unibet. Unibet declined to comment.
Veolia, a multinational waste management company with a waste disposal facility at an old coal mine site near Ipswich, confirmed it was “fully co-operating with authorities as they investigate”.
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