Paul Pisasale as mayor in 2005 with his plan for Ipswich.Credit:Robert Rough
In September 2020,the CCC had a big win when former Ipswich mayorPaul Pisasale was sentenced to 7½ years in prison on 33 charges ranging from sexual assault to official corruption.
However,last year was marred by high-profile CCC cases repeatedly falling over in court.
In April,eight Logan councillors who were suspended after the CCC accused them of fraud,leading to the entire council’s dismissal,had their charges dropped in court due to insufficient evidence.
The only consolation for the CCC was that former Logan mayor Luke Smith was ordered to stand trial on separate counts of misconduct in public office for his alleged role in pushing out the council’s chief executive,Sharon Kelsey. That case continues and a trial date is yet to be set.
Former Logan City Council chief executive officer Sharon Kelsey and ex-Logan mayor Luke Smith.
The collapse of the Logan City Council case triggered a parliamentary inquiry,which slammed the watchdog during a hearing in October,recommending it “be put on a leash”.
“What you have seen unfold in the evidence is a culture of institutional defensiveness,a resistance to correction,and an unwillingness to recognise when errors have occurred,” said counsel assisting the inquiry Dr Jonathan Horton.