Donations put Nova vote in hands of staff

DONATION dramas have played out again at Cairns Regional Council with the fate of the biggest development on the city’s books decided by an unelected bureaucrat.

The result was the same – Nova City’s seven towers are now fully approved – but the method of arrival raises questions about how the council functions under strict new conflict of interest laws.

Division 2 councillor John Schilling oversaw yesterday’s Planning and Environment Committee meeting in the absence of the mayor and deputy mayor, but the most pressing item on the agenda was deferred to CEO John Andrejic.

Unity Team members, who make up 70 per cent of the council, were unable to vote due to electoral donations from consultants involved in the development.

CA Architects donated $5000 to Unity in March 2016, with Ranjit Pty Ltd making a $2000 campaign contribution in March 2012.

In what has become a recurring theme since the new laws were passed, it meant there were too few conflictfree councillors to form a quorum, so the decision yea or nay was delegated to the chief executive officer.

Cr Schilling said the bureaucratic rigmarole made no difference in this case, but frustration and confusion about the chaotic rollout of the new legislation has been felt in local governments across the state.

“Nova’s been on our books for several years now and we’ve always supported the development,” he said.

“This is just going to help it proceed in a better manner.”

The approval included construction of a new carpark on former council land only used for a sewerage pump.

“It was an area of land that was basically useless to us,” Cr Schilling said.

“They came along and said, what about we buy it off you and turn it into a carpark.

“We still retain an easement over it so we can still get access to our infrastructure.

“It’s just a tidy-up to make everything work much better.”

IT WAS AN AREA OF LAND THAT WAS BASICALLY USELESS TO US. THEY CAME ALONG AND SAID WHAT ABOUT WE BUY IT OFF YOU AND TURN IT INTO A CARPARK

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