Last week’s findings by an independent inquiry into the way the Crime and Corruption Commission handled its investigation into Logan City Council are nothing short of damning.
The findings suggested that the CCC acted outside its authority, that investigating officers and their superiors took a biased view during the investigation, and that there were cultural issues inside the CCC.
This is of an organisation that has taken pride in assessing the cultural breakdowns of local governments throughout the state.
Last week’s report does a number of things.
It throws a serious question mark over the leadership of the CCC. Local Government Authority of Queensland chair Mark Jamieson has already called for the resignation of its chief Alan MacSporran.
Charges laid against seven of the councillors dismissed two years ago have been thrown out by a court due to lack of evidence.
While that course of action formally clears the names of those councillors, we all know that mud – when thrown – will stick for a long time in the minds of many.
Neither last week’s report, nor court findings, will ever detail whether the former CEO of council Sharon Kelsey was harshly dealt with when dismissed from her position.
They won’t share the discussions that took place, the nature or tone of those discussions. Nor will they likely share any vested interest of any interested party. “Harsh” can often be a judgement of value, and not necessarily illegal.
What last week’s findings will do however, is confirm that seven former councillors paid a very high price for having an opinion – something they were clearly asked to do when voting in the council chambers.
Current councillors have earned their stripes. They were fairly elected, as was the mayor. That should be made very clear.
However, it is a shame to reflect on whether seven other candidates who have been convicted of nothing – as victims of a questionable process, in the least in terms of integrity – should have been allowed to take part in those elections.
As the voting public, perhaps we now have a right to feel robbed of the full privilege of democracy.
