BILLY VOWS HE’LL ‘GET DIRTY’
After a year of turmoil, sexting MP in the mood to fight back
COOK MP Billy Gordon wants to roll up his sleeves and “get dirty” to win back the trust of his constituents in 2016.
After this year which featured multiple dealings with police over domestic violence claims, sex scandals and earning the wrath of Cape York’s indigenous mayors, Mr Gordon (pictured), believes hard work can repair the wounds and win him re-election as an independent MP.
As an indigenous man, his big concern is winning over communities in the Cape which have taken an especially dim view of his first year in the job.
CONTROVERSIAL MP Billy Gordon plans to roll up his sleeves and “get dirty” as he seeks to win back community support following a scandalous first year as the member for Cook.
Speaking to The Cairns Post for the first time since October, Mr Gordon admitted 2015 had been “very difficult”.
But he was confident he could rebuild his relationship with the people of Cape York, and said he would contest the next state election, remaining independent.
Initially voted in as a Labor MP, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expelled Mr Gordon in March after it was revealed he had failed to disclose his criminal history.
His former partner also accused him of domestic violence and failing to pay child support.
However Queensland police dropped their investigation into the claims in September.
On the same day, a Cairns woman claiming Mr Gordon had sent her a photo of his genitals was charged with extortion after she allegedly tried to blackmail the MP.
In the following weeks, at least three other women came forward, claiming to have received explicit photos from Mr Gordon.
After another investigation, police determined there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Gordon.
Despite telling The Cairns Post in October he believed the messages were consensual “personal exchanges”, Mr Gordon said last week he had given no indication whether he had “accepted those allegations or not”.
“There hasn’t been a lot of substance to these allegations,” he said.
Since becoming an independent, Mr Gordon has mostly voted with his former Labor colleagues when legislation has been introduced to Queensland Parliament.
However, he has proved to be a thorn in Labor’s side on at least one occasion, voting with Katter’s Australian Party MPs against the Government’s plan to introduce earlier lock out times for pubs and clubs.
Mr Gordon said one of the main issues for him in 2016 would be ensuring the continuation of the Local Fare Scheme, which gives Cape York and Torres Strait residents discounts of up to $400 when flying.
“Some (Cape York) communities pay the highest domestic airfares in the country,” Mr Gordon said.
“My commitment to the people of Cape York is ongoing and it’s about reducing costs of living pressures people and families face.”
Among Mr Gordon’s critics in the past year have been the mayors of several Cape York indigenous communities, with some saying they have not seen him since he was elected.
Mr Gordon received extremely high support from indigenous communities at the election, with residents hopeful an indigenous MP would mean a better understanding of their concerns in Brisbane.
But Mr Gordon said he “hadn’t heard a lot of negative comments from people in the community” and urged mayors unsatisfied with his performance to “pick up the phone” and call him.
“It’s hard to gauge – I know in 2016 there will be lots of work by me to rebuild the relationship between me and the Cape York community,” he said.
“They’ll be my stronghold going into the next election and I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves, get dirty and get the job done.”