Mayor makes 'airwaves'
THE Cairns Regional Council has gone into lockdown as it investigates a cash for comment radio scandal involving Mayor Val Schier.
The council’s corporate communications manager was told to leave the council premises but it is unclear whether she has been stood down pending the investigation’s outcome.
The move follows revelations on Wednesday that a commercial agreement was made to pay for the mayor’s hour on a local radio station each Friday.
The commercial agreement was brokered to pay a sum believed to be $250 each weekly appearance on
radio presenter John McKenzie's 4CA 846AM talkback show.
Yesterday, Cr Schier admitted she had received an email confirming she would begin her one-hour slot on air from the council’s communication’s manager after a meeting on February 24.
But she said she was unaware of any commercial arrangement or any council money paid and had ordered council CEO Noel Briggs to investigate the matter.
"It is surprising that at this stage no one has been able to produce any details of any arrangement," Cr
Schier said.
"I’m very concerned that it appears standard business practice has not occurred. A leaked email from Cr Schier demanded an investigation and said: "I have become aware this (Wednesday) afternoon that a commercial arrangement has been brokered by the manager of corporate communications between council and 4CA in relation to my appearance on the 4CA show on Friday mornings with John Mackenzie."
Mr Briggs yesterday questioned staff members and councillors over the issue but declined to comment to the media, as did council public relations staff.
On air, McKenzie said the radio station had stopped talking to Cr Schier because of timetable issues but then said his management approached him over a "guarantee".
He denied there was anything wrong with a commercial agreement.
"There is always advertising going on a radio station of a commercial nature – we are not a charity," he said.
"What the make-up of that commercial arrangement is, who, well, I don’t know.
"It’s nothing to do with me, it’s the sales department side."
He said an agreement to allow former mayor Kevin Byrne to speak for an hour each week "would never have happened" if there had not been a commercial relationship with the council.
For The King’s viewpoint see tomorrow’s The Weekend Post.
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On air: Cairns Mayor Val Schier during during a light moment on the radio.
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