Durie drama puts kink in water plan
TOWNSVILLE City Council could become embroiled in a complex financial dispute after the star of its water- saving campaign Jamie Durie lost his gardening business.
The council commissioned the gardening guru to deliver a series of waterwise workshops in Townsville as part of its $ 10 million Community Water Transition Support Package announced last year.
But the future of Durie’s involve- ment in the water campaign is now uncertain after it was revealed he placed his company JPD Media and Design into voluntary administration.
Durie first met with Townsville councillors, local experts and water authorities in July 2017 to deliver the first of about 10 planned workshops, but he has not yet returned due to delays in the rollout of the transition package.
The council’s general manager of community engagement and cultural services Stephen Beckett said Durie had not been paid upfront for the planned workshops.
“To date, Mr Durie has been paid $ 33,917.40 for his work on the Community Water Transition Support Package, including a facilitated workshop,” he said. Mr Beckett said the council would “continue to monitor” Durie’s situation.
“We have not received any communication from Mr Durie’s administrators about his financial circumstances,” he said. Mr Beckett said the council was working through the “final details” of the water transition package, which would be released “soon”.
“Following the confirmation of these arrangements council plans to schedule a range of future engagement events,” he said.
The council’s new timeline for the rollout comes after the Townsville Bulletin revealed in February the package was already months overdue.
At the time a council spokesman said the package would be delivered “later” in 2018.
Durie’s financial woes partly stem from a bitter legal battle with a former employee, Mike Curnow.
In March a Supreme Court found Mr Curnow, who had worked as JPD’s worldwide head of licensing, was still owed $ 563,000 in “unpaid commissions”. However, Mr Curnow told media he did not receive any money before Durie handed the company to administrators on May 3.
Administrators have recommended JPD’s creditors accept a Deed of Company Arrangement that would pay them between 15.5c and 25.4c in the dollar staggered over three years.