The 4350water Blog highlights some of the issues relating to proposals for potable reuse in Toowoomba and South East Qld. 4350water blog looks at related political issues as well.
See - Brisbane Times - Bombshell: CMC to investigate alleged cover-up.
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 9:15 AM
For many years, the 4350water blog has informed readers of plans by the Toowoomba City Council (now Toowoomba Regional Council) and the Qld government to introduce recycled water for drinking in Toowoomba. It has also looked at the issue from a State and Federal perspective and dealt with related State and Federal political issues. There continues to be a need for the Toowoomba Regional Council to be completely transparent in its dealings with the ratepayers and residents of Toowoomba. There also continues to be a need for open debate on the benefits and risks of potable reuse and long-term studies on the effects on humans of drinking recycled water. Coal seam gas water is emerging as a possible alternate water source for some uses for the region. The 4350water blog is a collective effort and thanks go to its many contributors.
| Shower timer: | sec |
2 Comments:
Brisbane Times
MP defends his actions
June 14, 2008
A Queensland MP has defended passing on damning information that staff were forced to cover up an alleged affair between former Premier Peter Beattie and disgraced minister Merri Rose to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.
Nationals MP Rob Messenger sent a letter to the CMC yesterday claiming he had been approached by a former Rose staffer who was seeking whistleblower protection to disclose the information.
Mr Messenger said he had met with the staffer, who was suffering from a "psychological illness", for several hours.
"They disclosed to me they had a phobia about being in big places ... in large outdoor places so I offered to travel to that person's place," Mr Messenger said.
He said the staffer presented him with written material to back her claim that staff were being forced to falsify documents to "conceal a relationship" between Mr Beattie and Rose.
He said she agreed to have their conversation taped and the information passed onto the watchdog.
However, the woman has now expressed anger that Mr Messenger passed on the allegations. "I don't know where Rob Messenger is getting off on this but if I wanted our discussion about my previous encounters with members of the Queensland Parliament to be raised with the Crime and Misconduct Commission I would have raised them with the CMC myself," the woman told News Ltd.
Mr Messenger said while the staffer may have changed her mind about releasing the information to him he was duty-bound to pass it on for investigation.
"On that recording the person wanted me to help claim them whistleblower status and then take the information they were about to disclose to the CMC," Mr Messenger said.
"I spent three or four hours talking at length with the person.
"At no stage between making that recording and forwarding it to the CMC has that person ever said they were misleading me or lying to me, therefore I'm duty bound as an MP to forward those serious allegations to the CMC."
Ms Rose last year was jailed over a blackmail attempt on Mr Beattie.
Key details of the case were suppressed under a court order.
Sean Reidy, the lawyer for Mr Beattie - who is now the Los Angeles based trade commissioner - said claims of a relationship were completely false, News Ltd reported.
However, Mr Messenger says he has a clear conscience about releasing the information for investigation.
"Just say there was an investigation further down the track and it became known Rob Messenger sat on information and there was a tape requesting he send information to the CMC where would I be?," Mr Messenger said.
A spokesman for Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said it was now up to the CMC to investigate the allegations.
3:05 PM, June 14, 2008
Beattie won't tell us exactly what was Merri Rose's blackmail attempt. No, he wants to keep THAT secret!
12:04 PM, June 15, 2008
Post a Comment
<< Home