Mayor Allan Sutherland investigated by CCC over property at Burpengary
Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland is being investigated by the Crime and Corruption Commission over the ownership of a property within his local government region.
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Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland is being investigated by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) in relation to the ownership of a property at Burpengary.
The CCC today released a statement today stating it is investigating the council over a number of allegations.
It said one of those all allegations related to Mayor Allan Sutherland and the ownership of a block of land in Burpengary.
“The CCC is limited in commenting further while the investigation remains ongoing,” a CCC spokesman said.
Cr Sutherland was contacted for comment. A council spokesman said it would not comment on the investigations.
On March 2, 2012, the Local Government Remuneration and Discipline Tribunal cleared Cr Sutherland of misuse of information or misconduct in relation to the 2ha Paradise Rd property he bought in 2010.
Cr Sutherland referred himself to the CMC (now CCC) in November 2010 after media reports about the purchase.
The land was situated near a site where the council at the time was planning a major urban development.
The CMC referred the matter to the Department of Local Government and Planning, which referred it to the Local Government Remuneration and Discipline Tribunal.
Earlier this year, Cr Sutherland gave permission for consultants DTS Group Qld to lodge a development application for the property on behalf of a developer.
The DA was requesting to subdivide the property into 20 residential lots with one 1137sqm drainage lot and one 8458sqm balance lot that would remain in Cr Sutherland’s ownership.
Cr Sutherland bought the block of land for $700,000 in September 2010 when it was zoned as Rural Residential — Transition under the 2006 Caboolture Shire Plan.
In November 2014 councillors voted unanimously in favour of a minor amendment to rezone Paradise Rd to Residential A, allowing for such a development.
The Mayor did not attend this meeting.
In 2017, the CCC conducted nine days of public hearings into issues related to corruption and integrity in local government, known as Operation Belcarra.
Moreton Bay council was one of four local governments investigated, the others were Gold Coast, Logan and Ipswich.
The CCC found widespread noncompliance with legislative obligations relating to local government elections and political donations, largely caused by poor legislation.
The CCC findings did not relate to Cr Sutherland or the Burpengary land.
In March last year, Cr Adrian Raedel was reported to the Crime and Corruption Commission over allegations involving a long-time donor, Tosh Murphy.
He was charged by the CCC with one count of official corruption on June 27 this year.
Cr Raedel, who has been automatically suspended, said he will fight the charge.
Mr Murphy charged by the CCC over the same matter on July 26.
It is also understood that Moreton Bay council is under investigation by the CCC over a multimillion-dollar contract with events company Moreton Bay Region Industry & Tourism.
Mayor Sutherland has already announced he will not contest next year’s local government elections.
No current Moreton Bay councillor apart from Cr Raedel has been charged by the CCC.
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