September 29, 2014
South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann has refuted allegations he used ratepayers’ money to hire a car to take himself, Cr Barry Green and two Council staff members from Caboolture to the South Burnett on August 4.
He has also rejected a claim the vehicle he hired came from a company owned by Cr Green.
The Mayor was referring to claims published recently by Windera resident Ralph Percy on the South Burnett Council Watch website – and repeated in a letter to the editor in other media – that he had used ratepayers’ money to hire a taxi from Caboolture back to the South Burnett after a promotional trip to publicise the reintroduction of a daily return bus service between Murgon and Brisbane.
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Speaking at Thursday night’s Nanango Tourism and Development Association meeting, Mayor Kratzmann confirmed he had hired a car from Caboolture to Wondai for the return journey that day.
He said he had done so because he had to attend the Annual General Meeting of the South Burnett Race Club, where he is president.
He realised too late the new bus service wouldn’t return him to Wondai in time to attend the meeting.
But because his role at the race club was a private one which he undertook as a volunteer – not an official Council role – he booked and paid for the car trip himself.
Mayor Kratzmann said Cr Green had no financial interest in the taxi company the hire was arranged through.
The Mayor then produced a receipt from Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd which showed the car had been booked and paid for by him, along with a letter from owner Geoffrey Gee stating Cr Green had no financial interest in the company.
The Mayor said it wasn’t normally his habit to respond publicly to criticism.
“When you’re a politician or any kind of public figure, you have to accept that a certain amount of criticism goes with the job,” he said.
But in this particular case, the claim was “blatantly untrue” and Cr Barry Green was being smeared by political opponents, so he felt compelled to speak out.
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southburnett.com.au believes part of the confusion lies with the fact there are two vehicle hire companies in Nanango: Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd and the Nanango Limousine Service.
Cr Green said today he still owned the Nanango Limousine Service, but his interest in the business had virtually ceased since his election to the South Burnett Regional Council in 2008.
His fleet had dwindled from three limousines and a bus to a single limousine and a bus, and both vehicles were now on loan to other operators.
“My limousine is permanently stationed at Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd and they use it for Veterans Affairs hires, for taxi services outside their designated area, or for special occasions,” Cr Green said.
“Taxis can only operate within their licensed area, but my vehicle is licensed to operate anywhere in Queensland.”
This meant Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd couldn’t despatch one of their own taxis to Caboolture when Mayor Kratzmann’s job was booked.
“Geoff (Gee) chose to send my vehicle down to Caboolture to pick us up because he couldn’t send one of his own,” Cr Green said.
He said the money for the hire went to Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd, not the Nanango Limousine Service.
Cr Green instructed the company at the time to take his share out of the normal fee “because Kratzie was paying for all of it out of his own pocket”.
This had reduced the fare from $400 to $300.
“I’m just pleased this hire went to a local company, not a Brisbane one,” Cr Green said.
- Related article: Race Club Figures Up 12pc
“My limousine is permanently stationed at Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd and they use it for Veterans Affairs hires, for taxi services outside their designated area, or for special occasions,” Cr Green said.
One can assume their is a financial arrangement in place between Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd and Nanango Limousine Service owned by Cr Green.
DUH. That’s probably why the article says: “Cr Green instructed the company at the time to take his share out of the normal fee ‘because Kratzie was paying for all of it out of his own pocket’. This had reduced the fare from $400 to $300.”
Why is it anyone’s business what the Mayor spends his own money on? He has produced the receipt showing his own credit card paid the bill, to me that closes this whole thing out. Whether Cr Green has a financial interest in the business or not is irrelevant if the Mayor used his own money. The more important question here is why ‘Jack Black’ and ‘Disgusted Again’ don’t use their actual names? Its about as gutless as you can get to use a fake name to attack someone on an online media forum
“smeared by political opponents”? Who knew that a hairdresser in Nanango named Sheila, was anyone’s political opponent. Strange, they usually try and point the finger at me for things like this, just like I get ‘blamed’ for various FB posts re Council that have nothing to do with me. When I post, email, write anything, I am quite happy to put MY NAME on any articles.
If the Mayor used his ratepayer funded vehicle it would have been fine. So where’s the problem Jack & ‘Disgusted Again’?
Marc & Damian – whoa you got me all wrong. I was saying what’s the big deal? The article explains it all. Barry Green says he didn’t get one red cent from the job and I believe him. The mayor can spend his money however he likes. BTW I may be “gutless” but I have my reasons. There can be repercussions in this town for having an opinion.
I think you’re ALL missing the point: the people at fault here are the person who put this rumour out in public in the first place without bothering to check if it was true or false; and then everyone who’s since repeated it (again, without trying to check if it was true or false). This muck-raking deserves everyone’s abiding contempt. It certainly has mine.
find it intriguing that two community leaders holding public positions with in the SBRC would not have pre-checked bus time table schedules prior to the embarkation date and taken note of the return time schedule.This would most certainly not have been over looked by any member of the public embarking on the same journey.
As to Cr Green involvement in Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd“
As stated the ownership of the limousine in question is Cr Green.
[My limousine is permanently stationed at Nanango Taxi and Delivery Pty Ltd and they use it]
[Cr Green instructed the company at the time to take his share out of the normal fee], as stated in this article thus reducing the cost by $100 from $400 to $300
Damien Tessmann I appreciate your comment but unfortunately a song by T-Rex “Children of the Revolution” is the best response I am prepared to offer you at this time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgcxd9wtXUE
ah Come on guys
lets look at the important stuff
if our councilors and highly paid council staff members can afford the time to take a joyride on the bus to caboolture, then it raises the question “are we ratepayers getting value for our rate dollar?