Don Brown questions spending $2m COVID grant near Redland mayor’s business at Mt Cotton

A state MP said he is concerned about spending a $2 million Covid grant near a business owned by a southeast Queensland mayor.

Mount Cotton’s Rainforest Gardens, above; top Labor MP Don Brown and below, Redland Mayor Karen Williams.

A state MP has told Parliament he is concerned about a $2 million COVID grant in the Budget being spent on walking trails and a tourist viewing deck at Mount Cotton, near a business owned by the mayor of Redlands.

Capalaba Labor MP Don Brown alleged in Parliament an email showed that Mayor Karen Williams’ chief of staff influenced a decision to put forward the walking trail project as one to receive $2.05 million of a $2.88 million grant.

The mayor’s office has denied any impropriety.

In January last year, the Mount Cotton wedding venue Rainforest Gardens, owned by Cr Williams and her family, got the green light to build 13 glamping sites and run a tourist park.

Redland City Council CEO Andrew Chesterman said council officers selected and put forward the project as per the usual process, without approval or recommendations from any councillors, and within a short timeframe to apply for the State Government grant.

The council encouraged Mr Brown to refer any evidence of impropriety by council to the appropriate authorities.

“The Redlands Coast Eastern Hinterland Experience will provide the community and visitors with more than 20km of multi-use fire trails, mountain biking downhill tracks, shared use trails and visitor infrastructure, connecting with neighbouring trail networks and providing a unique regional destination with recreation and tourism value,” the council spokesperson said.

Mr Brown told Parliament a Right to Information request showed the mayor knew the grant would financially benefit her business.

He alleged the decision to use the COVID funding for the walking trails was influenced by Cr Williams’ chief of staff and executive assistant Allan McNeil.

Mr Brown said he believed the email showed Mr McNeil had discussed and supported the project with council officers on behalf of the mayor.

He said this meant that Cr Williams was kept informed of the grant projects ahead of the city’s other 10 councillors.

Mr Brown said economic modelling showed it would bring $6 million to the region “and there is no closer business to this project than the mayor’s accommodation and hospitality businesses, situated right on the doorstep of this project which she will benefit from,” Mr Brown told Parliament.

“Two days later the rest of the councillors were able to give their feedback on the projects being put forward.

“Three councillors responded; two of whom raised serious concerns.”

Cr Wendy Boglary and colleague Cr Paul Bishop both questioned how the walking trails at Mt Cotton were escalated up the council’s project priority lists when they were originally only slated to receive a funding boost of $859,000 in January last year.

The remainder of the COVID funding of $830,000 allocated to Redlands in this financial year’s budget has been spent on critical maintenance at the Cleveland Aquatic Centre.

Mayor Karen Williams was contacted for comment on the matter which is under investigation by the Office of Independent Assessor.

The Office of Independent Assessor dismissed a similar complaint in July 2020, finding no councillors were involved in Redland council’s recommendations for the State Government grant.

It also found that the project met the funding criteria and was selected by council officers on that basis.