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Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick is among the witnesses expected to give evidence in a committal hearing for a mayor accused of influencing upgrades to a road on which he owned property. Former Moreton Bay mayor Allan Sutherland is accused of manipulating the timing and scope of a project affecting land he bought in 2010 on Paradise Road in Burpengary which he intended to develop, crown prosecutor Sarah Farndon told the court on Friday. He is facing two misconduct charges after an investigation by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission Proposed road upgrades were part of a larger project concerning a sports complex development. A second entry and exit for the complex upgrade was needed for both safety and traffic flow management, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told. From at least 2016, the scope of the project included upgrades to the whole of Paradise Road, council's director of engineering, construction and maintenance Anthony Martini said under examination by Sutherland's lawyer Saul Holt QC. A second charge of misconduct in public office relates to allegations Sutherland lobbied for an amendment to the planning scheme affecting service stations, said to potentially benefit his proposed Paradise Road development. Mr Dick, as then planning minister, rejected the proposed amendment according to a letter to Mr Sutherland - parts of which were read to the court on Friday. Mr Holt said the manner in which the minister rejected the amendment was a "pretty big deal". It was "very unusual", Mr Martini agreed. The committal hearing before magistrate Mark Nolan continues. Australian Associated Press
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September 3 2021 - 1:44PM
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick is among the witnesses expected to give evidence in a committal hearing for a mayor accused of influencing upgrades to a road on which he owned property.
Former Moreton Bay mayor Allan Sutherland is accused of manipulating the timing and scope of a project affecting land he bought in 2010 on Paradise Road in Burpengary which he intended to develop, crown prosecutor Sarah Farndon told the court on Friday.
He is facing two misconduct charges after an investigation by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission
Proposed road upgrades were part of a larger project concerning a sports complex development.
A second entry and exit for the complex upgrade was needed for both safety and traffic flow management, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told.
From at least 2016, the scope of the project included upgrades to the whole of Paradise Road, council's director of engineering, construction and maintenance Anthony Martini said under examination by Sutherland's lawyer Saul Holt QC.
A second charge of misconduct in public office relates to allegations Sutherland lobbied for an amendment to the planning scheme affecting service stations, said to potentially benefit his proposed Paradise Road development.
Mr Dick, as then planning minister, rejected the proposed amendment according to a letter to Mr Sutherland - parts of which were read to the court on Friday.
Mr Holt said the manner in which the minister rejected the amendment was a "pretty big deal".
It was "very unusual", Mr Martini agreed.
The committal hearing before magistrate Mark Nolan continues.
Australian Associated Press
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