Friday, August 20, 2010

It couldn't be more obvious

The Whitsunday Islands and Mainland are in the middle of the Federal seat of Dawson - one of the 'Queensland Marginal Seats' everyone talks about.


Around 8.50am on Thursday, 19 August, 2010, the Labor Party candidate for Dawson, Mike Brunker, said on ABC Tropic Radio (Mackay) that "it was disgraceful to politicize a Not for Profit organization."

I would like to point out that Tourism Whitsundays is a 'Not for Profit' organisation, officially called a Regional Tourism Organization.

Recently, Tourism Whitsundays were given $350,000 by Whitsunday Regional Council, which, at the time, Mike Brunker was the Mayor. (His mayoral duties were put on hold to campaign for the Federal election). Coincidentally, it is four days away from the first anniversary of the conviction of Tourism Whitsundays Chief Financial Officer for fraud - $350,000.

The Queensland Minister for Tourism in the last couple of months gave Tourism Whitsundays $420,000 - for a website. I have not seen or heard of any tender going out for this project, which seems unusual considering it is all Queensland taxpayers money.

Tourism Whitsundays only seem to talk or get photographed with Labor Party politicians and candidates.

The following are all the photos of Tourism Whitsundays management/directors meeting with candidates or politicians over the past three months, sourced from the Whitsunday Times. I could not find one image where Tourism Whitsundays management/directors met with candidates or politicians other than from the Australian Labor Party.


Yes Mr Brunker, I couldn't agree with you more - it is disgraceful to politicize a 'Not for Profit' organization.

Sources:
Whitsunday Times

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