Office of the Independent Assessor reopens case into Bob Manning’s $150,000 personal loan

The Cairns Regional Council mayor will again front a tribunal as the local government watchdog reopens a case into a $150,000 personal loan from a lawyer connected to past developments.

Cairns Regional Council mayor Bob Manning is being investigated by the OIA over a $150,000 loan. Picture: Isaac McCarthy

The Cairns Regional Council mayor is under the microscope again as a local government watchdog conducts a “complex” look into conduct concerning a large personal loan.

The Cairns Post can reveal the Office of the Independent Assessor has taken up misconduct investigations into a $150,000 payable “on demand” loan Bob Manning received prior to May 2015 from Ranjit Singh, a lawyer connected to several past developments in Cairns.

There is no suggestion by the Cairns Post that Mr Singh engaged in any wrongdoing.

The Cairns Post is aware the OIA has called witnesses and taken statements from a number of current and former Cairns Regional Council employees in relation to the matter.

“(This) is a complex matter undergoing a natural justice process,” an OIA spokeswoman said.

Cairns mayor Bob Manning said he was aware of the investigations. Picture: Isaac McCarthy

The loan and Mr Manning’s subsequent conduct were previously subjects of a gruelling investigation by Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission, which included a raid on his home in May 2021.

The loan’s terms specified no repayment date, which meant the lender could have, hypothetically, bankrupted the borrower by calling for repayment when the borrower lacked the means to produce the cash.

The CCC was understood to be investigating Mr Manning’s potential influence over the decisions of other councillors as head of the Unity Team, which has held the balance of power at the council for successive electoral cycles.

The CCC investigation concluded in January 2022 after the resignation of Alan MacSporran, then CCC chairman, with no charges laid.

Mr Singh’s lawyer received a letter from the CCC that stated no charges would be laid against Mr Singh.

Mr Manning was also cleared by the CCC of corrupt conduct in February 2022.

Ranjit Singh, former Cairns branch president of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, did not have charges laid against him in relation to the loan. Picture: Supplied

The OIA confirmed it was also investigating Mr Manning’s involvement in projects and assets connected to the Cairns Airport.

A gift received from the airport, in the form of paid overseas travel expenses, and Mr Manning’s alleged subsequent failure to declare a conflict of interest are central to those proceedings, according to sources.

“The matter … was referred to the CCT on December 16, 2022,” an OIA spokeswoman said.

Mr Manning has already appeared in front of the CCT in 2020 over 24 allegations of misconduct relating to campaign donations received by a local developer and his alleged failure to declare conflicts of interest during relevant council meetings.

On March 24, 2023, the CCT sustained 23 of the 24 allegations and ordered Mr Manning to make a public admission of misconduct within 60 days.

But he has since demanded a full-merits review in front of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The council has persistently refused to disclose whether or not the cost of the review will be covered by the council.

Mr Manning said he was aware of the loan investigations being handed over to the OIA but had no further comment to make.

“I’m not saying anything,” Mr Manning said.

Originally published as Office of the Independent Assessor reopens case into Bob Manning’s $150,000 personal loan