Michael Gorey, Jack Dempsey quizzed on Bundaberg council staff ties to federal campaign

Jack Dempsey and his council chief of staff have denied ratepayer resources are being used for the Hinkler federal election bid as the Bundaberg mayor’s team claims it’s not his campaign that doesn’t pass the pub test.

Bundaberg’s Mayoral Chief of Staff Michael Gorey has confirmed he was behind the creation of the independent candidate Jack Dempsey’s campaign website and has taken leave from his job to help his boss fight for the seat of Hinkler.

In a response to questions posed by News Corp’s Wide Bay sites about whether ratepayer funded resources were used on the election campaign, Mr Gorey confirmed he had temporarily stepped away from his job with Bundaberg Regional Council and that the work was all done “in his own time” and “with his own resources”.

“I’ve taken leave to volunteer on Jack’s campaign,” Mr Gorey said.

Online records show the domain for Mr Dempsey’s campaign was registered on March 13 last year -more than 12 months before the mayor announced his intention to run.

This was also six weeks after councillors approved the creation of the job that would taken on by Mr Gorey.

Mr Dempsey and his team were asked whether ratepayers should be worried the mayor and his COS had been working on a federal election during that time.

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey’s Chief of Staff Michael Gorey (left), has confirmed he has taken leave to volunteer as part of Mr Dempsey’s (right) campaign to win the federal seat of Hinkler, and had created the web page as part of a push to convince the mayor to run.

Mr Gorey said he created the JackforHinkler website as part of his pitch to the mayor when trying to convince him to put his hat in the ring.

The senior council staffer, who was appointed to his position in February 2021, said he had conversations with Mr Dempsey over “many” months as to whether the former State MP and Newman Government Minister should run.

“I urged him to do so because of the neglect that Bundaberg and Hervey Bay have experienced under the current Member,” Mr Gorey said.

“Jack was concerned about the impacts on his family, frequent travel and leaving the council midterm.”

Mr Gorey was adamant Mr Dempsey’s mind had only been made a few weeks ago and all work done on the website was during his own time and everything had been done within the rules and regulations of local government.

“I registered a domain name, set up a sample website and tried to convince Jack that he should run,” he said

Michael Gorey said he created and registered the JackforHinkler web page on his own time, using his own resources, as part of his effort to convince Jack Dempsey to run for Hinkler.

“I did all of this in my own time, using my own resources.

“Jack only made a final decision to stand in the past few weeks.

Council CEO Steve Johnston said any decisions his staff made in their own time was entirely theirs.

“I won’t comment on staff activities out of work time or if they are on leave, as they are entitled to privacy in those circumstances,” Mr Johnston said, adding all staff were bound by the Local Government Ethics Act and the council’s Code of Conduct.

A photographer, who travelled with Mr Dempsey’s team this past week was on leave, a source has told NewsCorp.

Bundaberg Regional Council CEO Steve Johnston said staff are bound by ethics rules and the council’s Code of Conduct, but what they did in their own private time was entirely at their discretion.

Mr Gorey said it was “interesting the media is focused on Jack (who is running as an independent) but not the mayors representing major parties or Mr Pitt having (more than) 30 government staff working on his campaign while he was using government jets and a taxpayer-funded chauffeur-driven vehicle”.

In response, Mr Pitt said his staff were working as normal “responding to constituents inquiries in relation to Centrelink, Veterans Affairs, Immigration and any other Federal Government department”.

He said his staff’s assistance and work were “completely within the guidelines” and rejected any claims “there is something improper occurring in my office”.

Mr Dempsey also raised his own questions about Mr Pitt’s re-election bid.

“I’ve been approached by many people this week who are concerned about Keith Pitt sending out unsolicited propaganda to residents across the electorate,” Mr Dempsey claimed.

Incumbent LNP Hinkler candidate Keith Pitt said staff were assisting and working within guidelines and rejected any suggestion of impropriety when it came to the use of taxpayer money. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Mr Pitt needs to answer if this was paid for by the taxpayer.

“Spending tens of thousands of dollars of public money on the eve of an election for personal political purposes would be an absolute disgrace.

“It doesn’t pass the pub test and raises serious issues if that was the case.”

Mr Pitt rejected this, saying he regularly communicated with Hinkler’s residents to share developments and seek their views.

“The LNP prides itself on its members and volunteers that get out there and help at campaign time,” Mr Pitt said.

Three of Bundaberg's 10 councillors responded to questions as to whether they had concerns about the use of council resources given the timing around Mr Gorey’s appointment and the creation of the Mr Dempsey’s campaign page.

Councillors Steve Cooper and Vince Habermann offered a staunch defence of Mr Dempsey and the process surrounding his campaign.

Councillors Steve Cooper and Vince Habermann defended Mayor Jack Dempsey, saying he had a right to run and he continually acted in the best interests of the community. Photo Paul Beutel

Mr Cooper said, in his opinion, Mr Dempsey had a democratic right to run and “staff can work for anyone in their own time”.

“The fact that his chief of staff may or may not have preconceived a web page is nothing short of ridiculous, they are quite entitled to do what they wish in their own time,” Mr Cooper said.

“We are governed by very strict guidelines as councillors and I would suggest that anyone making these comments is simply trying to discredit what I believe is a very good candidate for this election.”

Division 5’s Greg Barnes said he had held concerns about a number of matters for some time and the feedback he was receiving from the community “is of no surprise at all”.

“At the time the position of council Adviser was created I expressed concerns because the title was immediately changed to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff,” Mr Barnes said.

Hinkler voters will make up their own mind on May 21.