Paul Pisasale met developer at same time $50K cash delivered, but lawyer says matters unrelated

EX-Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale was meeting a developer when a man allegedly delivered $50,000 in cash, says a figure at the centre of the storm.

Paul Pisasale this week announced he was resigning as the mayor of Ipswich. File picture

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FORMER Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale was meeting a developer when a man allegedly delivered a package containing $50,000 cash, according to a Brisbane barrister at the centre of the money storm.

The barrister, Sam Di Carlo, maintained the two events at a Melbourne hotel last month were unrelated, but conceded it was not a good look for his friend, Mr Pisasale.

The new story emerged as discrepancies arose into the Melbourne trip of Mr Pisasale, the subject of a Crime and Corruption Commission probe.

One reason given was that he was there for an event featuring UK TV chef Jamie Oliver, but a spokeswoman for Mr Oliver’s Ministry of Food said “there was definitely no meeting”.

Mr Pisasale resigned this week after being stopped at Melbourne airport on May 13, about to return to Brisbane, with $50,000 cash.

Brisbane barrister Sam Di Carlo says Mr Pisasale carried $50,000 cash to Brisbane as a favour. Picture: Tara Croser.

Mr Di Carlo later claimed he had $50,000 sent to a Melbourne hotel to Mr Pisasale, to be brought to Brisbane for a legal settlement for a Chinese family.

Mr Di Carlo told The Courier-Mail that Mr Pisasale had been meeting a Melbourne-based developer looking at a project in Ipswich’s Yamanto.

“I became aware, subsequent, that Paul in going to go there for the purpose of … Jamie Oliver, also met a developer who I know down there,” Mr Di Carlo said.

“It appears when my (China family-linked) client delivered the money to him, that Paul was with the developer, and it’s all on CCTV footage.”

“You have to concede it looks suspicious because there’s a developer there, there’s Pisasale there, and then he’s given a package by a third party.”

But Mr Di Carlo said the developer and the legal settlement were unrelated.

Mr Pisasale has denied wrongdoing and offered to co-operate with the CCC.

Paul Pisasale announces his resignation at St Andrew’s Private Hospital in Ipswich on Tuesday. Picture: Tim Marsden

Ipswich City Council refused to answer questions, including who paid for the Melbourne trip, but Mr Pisasale’s Instagram account shows Mr Oliver receiving an Ipswich plaque on May 12, although the person who handed it is not seen.

A Ministry of Food spokeswoman said an Ipswich representative had attended the Melbourne event but it was not Mr Pisasale, who had earlier declined an invitation.

Mr Pisasale was in Ipswich for a Today Show TV broadcast on May 12.

His register of interests indicates that day he also received hospitality from CJP Qld, a Melbourne-based company, but states the meeting was in Sydney.

Attempts to contact CJP director Chris Pinzone were unsuccessful.

The mayor had noted that he received other hospitality from CJP in Sydney in February and at an unspecified location in January.

 

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