Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the financial mismanagement and lack of accountability and transparency as mandated pursuant to Section 4 and the Good Governance Principles of the Local Government Act 2009 by the Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC) for the provision of legal assistance to the Council CEO James Patrick Gott for a personal defamation claim. Right to Information documents obtained via the Office of Information Commissioner demonstrate that the council’s insurer will not reimburse the cost of this legal assistance. 

Your petitioners, therefore, request that the House do all within its power to ensure the Minister for Local Government appoint a Financial Controller to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council under the provision of Section 113 (1)(a) and (b) of the Local Government Act in order to gather information pursuant to Section 115(a) and (b) and instigate appropriate remedial action.

Alternatively, the Minister could deem it necessary to appoint an Interim Administrator pursuant to Section 124A to ensure the CCRC carries out its responsibilities in compliance with the relevant legislation.