MP hits spin bill for six

TOWNSVILLE City Council’s plan to use disaster funding to pay for work done by a Brisbane-based media company following the floods “just doesn’t pass the pub test”, Herbert MP Phillip Thompson has said.

The council has continued to defend its use of crisis communications company Rowland immediately following the floods until the contract ended last week.

Rowland came to Townsville four times and was hired to “provide strategic and tactical communication support” during the recovery phase and to “strengthen council’s messaging to the community”, according to the council.

The total bill was $163,000, and the council hopes to claim that out of the jointly funded Disaster Relief Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Mr Thompson confirmed he had approached Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud while in Canberra this week.

“I went to the minister and wanted clarity around the rules of how public funds, taxpayer money, could be used in relation to disaster funding.

“Because to me, this was a gross waste of taxpayer funds, to me it just doesn’t pass the pub test. It’s quite clear that council doesn’t manage their budgets and their funding well, look at what they’re doing with Jamie Durie,”

The Townsville Bulletin yesterday revealed Mr Littleproud had instructed Emergency Management Australia, within the Home Affairs Department, to look at whether the payment would be above board.

Mr Littleproud said even if so, he would consider reviewing the guidelines.

A spokesman for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, which administers the DRFA, said it was working closely with the council as it delivered its recovery program.

The QRA confirmed it had not yet received a submission in relation to the $163,000 Rowland bill.

A Townsville City Council spokeswoman said communicating to residents during the response and recovery was “an utmost priority” in the immediate aftermath of the flood.

“It was essential that council got this right for the benefit of our community,” she said.

“Council’s own team was heavily impacted by the monsoon and to help ensure the community was effectively informed we engaged expert support.”

According to the QRA, under Commonwealth guidelines, disaster-related messaging including public health and safety messaging during and in the immediate aftermath of the disaster may be eligible for DRFA funding.