Help to keep Keely on a roll
ATTORNEY- GENERAL Yvette D’Ath says she will continue to investigate allegations raised with her against the state’s electoral commissioner despite his resignation yesterday.
But her office declined to give details on just how that will take place and whether Walter van der Merwe, who sent his resignation letter to the Governor yesterday, will still be asked to answer the allegations.
Mr van der Merwe resigned yesterday morning, two days after Ms D’Ath revealed she was planning to issue him with a show- cause notice to answer allegations raised with her office last week.
She said the allegations – if proven – could amount to misbehaviour under the Electoral Act and potentially lead to his dismissal
Ms D’Ath’s office confirmed that as a result of his resignation that show- cause notice had been suspended. THERE will be 13 LNP hopefuls seeking to replace former attorney- general George Brandis in the Senate as a fierce pre- selection battle is set for March 10.
The final 13 candidates who have been accepted include favourites lawyer Amanda Stoker and Brisbane councillor Andrew Wines.
There is a strong preference for a woman to take the spot, left vacant when Mr Brandis retired to become Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK.
Former senator Joanna Lindgren is also considered a contender.
Other nominees include Fiona Ward, Bibe Roadley, Gerard Rennick, Teresa Harding, Kauri Burgess, David Andrews, William Markwell, Amanda Camm, Mark Everson and Paul Scarr.
Each candidate will be given eight minutes and face seven minutes of questions. A FUNDRAISER for a Burdekin teen battling cancer has hit $ 10,000 in less than 24 hours.
Keely Johnson, 19, will undergo two brain procedures in the next fortnight costing her family upwards of $ 50,000.
A Go Fund Me page set up on Tuesday raised $ 10,325 of her $ 50,000 goal by noon yesterday – an average of $ 515 an hour.
Mum Cathy said she was overwhelmed with the response from friends, family and strangers reaching out to help Keely receive the urgent surgeries she will die without.
“We don’t like to ask anyone for anything,” she said. “The response has been unbelievable and we are very grateful for that.”
The Go Fund Me web page says Keely has raised over $ 700,000 in her individual and Golden Octopus Foundation fundraising for treatment of childhood cancers.
Keely has central nervous system Langerhans cell histiocytosis ( LCH), a disease involving the abnormal proliferation of certain white blood cells. A tumour on her pituitary stalk has halted her growth since she was 10.
Monies raised from the Go Fund Me page will help Keely’s family pay for two surgeries, hospital fees, anaesthetic costs and a specialist endocrinologist. “Keely has been keeping up with the page and ( by Wednesday morning) said ‘ Mum we’ve got the anaesthetist covered now’,” Ms Johnson said.
You can donate to Keely Johnson’s Brain Surgery Fund at https:// www. gofundme. com/ keely- johnsons- brain- surgery- fund.