CCC investigates Moreton Bay Regional Council over tourism contract renewal

THE Crime and Corruption Commission is investigating Moreton Bay Regional Council over the renewal of a multimillion-dollar tourism contract.

Moreton Bay Regional Council is under investigation by the CCC.

THE Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) is investigating Moreton Bay Regional Council over the renewal of a multimillion-dollar contract with Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism Ltd (MBRIT).

A CCC spokesman confirmed a complaint was made against Moreton Bay Regional Council and it is currently investigating the matter.

“As the investigation is ongoing it is not appropriate to comment further,” the spokesman said.

A council spokesman said: “Council understands that the CCC is currently investigating a complaint from a ratepayer. With an investigation underway, it’s not appropriate for Council to comment further.”

MBRIT chairman Shane Newcombe was contacted for comment.

As reported by Quest Community News on June 13, at their May 29 meeting, councillors were to vote on extending the service level agreement with MBRIT, which was to expire in June 2019.

At the meeting, six councillors declared perceived conflicts of interests over their friendship with MBRIT CEO and chairman Shane Newcombe.

These were Mayor Allan Sutherland and councillors Mike Charlton, Julie Greer, Koliana Winchester, Darren Grimwade and Matt Constance.

Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Allan Sutherland was among six councillors who declared perceived conflicts of interests over their friendship with MBRIT CEO and chairman Shane Newcombe. Picture: Bradley Cooper

Cr Constance also added that he officiated as marriage celebrant at Newcombe’s recent wedding. Four other councillors also attended the wedding.

A seventh councillor, Adrian Raedel, declared a perceived conflict of interest because one of his friends is an MBRIT employee.

This triggered s175(E) (6) of the Local Government Act, delegating the matter to the council CEO for determination because there was no quorum.

Quest Community News reported on June 21 that MBRIT had signed a new five-year service level agreement with the council.

No councillor at the May 29 meeting, however, declared a conflict of interest over a $20,000 donation by Newcombe Holdings Pty Ltd - of which Mr Newcombe is a director - into third party campaign fund Moreton Futures Trust on February 19, 2016.

Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Allan Sutherland with Corporate Services spokesman Matt Constance after handing down the 2018/19 budget. Picture: Dominika Lis/Redcliffe Herald

Newcombe Holdings was one of nine companies that donated funds to the trust, contributing 14.6 per cent of the total $137,000 in the trust.

According to their disclosure returns at the 2016 election, councillors Allan Sutherland ($69,948.41), James Houghton ($2873), Peter Flannery ($3677) and Julie Greer (2488.35) accepted money from Moreton Futures Trust.

In turn, councillors Mike Charlton ($2501) and Kolliana Winchester ($855) disclosed receiving campaign funds directly from Cr Sutherland.

However, at the council’s June 26 council meeting, Cr Greer and Cr Mike Charlton did declare a perceived conflict of interest over receiving money from Newcombe Holdings via Moreton Futures Trust.

This was in relation to several items on the council agenda in which Newcombe Holdings had put for a tender.

For Cr Greer, it was in relation to the $2488.35 she accepted in 2016.

For Cr Charlton, it was in relation to a $5000 loan he received, and subsequently paid back, from Moreton Futures Trust at the 2012 election when Newcombe Holdings (Village Motors) also donated $20,000 into the trust.

Cr Houghton and Cr Flannery, who also accepted MFT funds in 2016, were absent from the June 26 council meeting.

Cr Sutherland meanwhile, who accepted about $180,000 in total from MFT over the 2012 and 2016 elections, did not declare a conflict of interest in relation to Moreton Futures Trust at either meeting.

The Local Government Act (S175E) states councillors “must inform the meeting about the councillor’s personal interests in the matter”.

These personal interests include the nature of the interests and whether they relate from a gift, defining a gift as being required under legislation to be recorded in a register of interests.

In the case of a gift, councillors need to state who the gift came from, the nature of their relationship with the person who gave the gift, the date they received it and its value.