Questions we sent to Mayor Tate and CEO Dickson, and their responses

QUESTIONS TO MAYOR TOM TATE

Q1: The CCC confirmed it is investigating a complaint that the Mayor at a meeting of council on November 4, 2013, did not fully disclose his material personal interest. What is your response?

Q2: The CCC confirmed it is investigating a complaint that the Mayor participated in debate, and voted on resolutions, related to funds from the sale of the Surfers Paradise Transit Centre and Bruce Bishop car park as well as sale of parcels of land including his Surfers Paradise Bowls Club property and failing to declare a material personal interest. What is your response?

Q3: The CCC confirmed it is investigating a complaint that the Mayor made statements he knew to be false and misleading in support of the proposed funding model for the Cultural Precinct Stage One. What is your response?

Q4: The CCC has confirmed it is investigating allegations that the Mayor engaged in a pattern of conduct concerning council decisions relating to matters where he has a material personal interest with the express purpose of providing a benefit to himself and his business associates. What is your response?

Q5: The CCC has confirmed it is investigating allegations that the Mayor has misused his authority in nominating himself, during a closed council meeting, to negotiate with CEO Dale Dickson his new employment contract, aware that Mr Dickson had been delegated by council to oversee negotiations for the sale of council land to the Waterglow development. What is your response?

Q6: The CCC is investigating a complaint that the Mayor failed to update his Register of Interests within the statutory time frame to properly disclose the receipt of hospitality benefits he received from the representative of a Chinese developer, his lawyer Tony Hickey. What is your response?

CR TATE’S RESPONSE: ”I respect the confidentiality of the CCC.”

QUESTIONS TO COUNCIL CEO DALE DICKSON

Q1: The CCC confirmed it is investigating a complaint that alleges the CEO, aware that his future contract was being negotiated directly by Mayor Tom Tate, failed to identify and act on an arising conflict of interest resulting from his negotiation to sell council land to a business in which the Mayor had an interest. What is your response?

Q2: The CCC has confirmed it is investigating a complaint that the CEO has failed to correct the record in relation to statements made by Mayor Tom Tate which he knew to be false and misleading, in relation to the funding model for the Cultural Precinct Stage One. The allegation is that you have steadfastly refused a request to correct the public record. What is your response?

Q3: The CCC has considered two other allegations. Both relate to the Save Surfers Paradise group. The first allegation is that the CEO had failed to co-operate with an internal administrative review decision instigated with council under Section 268 of the LG Act. The second alleges the CEO obstructed a request from that organisation through Right to Information to provide council’s information officer with relevant information. What is your response? MR DICKSON’S RESPONSE: “I welcome an independent investigation regarding my personal conduct by the CCC, Queensland Ombudsman, Office of the Information Commissioner or any other relevant external body.

“The claims are not new, and have been the subject of consideration as part of the City’s response to the legal proceedings initiated by Save our Surfers Paradise Inc, which will shortly be dealt with by the Supreme Court.”