The Independent warned repeatedly over time that the LNP and Team Quirk planned to cheat again at this year's Brisbane City Council elections and they are doing exactly that .... big time!
They've rolled out again their copycat council "cleat" that they also used extensively at the 2012 poll. It's there for no other reason than to hoodwink the public into thinking it's the council's official branding image, that distinctive design of alternating blue and yellow blocks on the left-hand-side of official council material.
The LNP/Team Quirk are con-artists, cheats and coward and here's why.
They are con-artists because what they use is there for no other purpose than to let the public think it is the council cleat. And that deceptive, devious and politically dishonest exercise has no other purpose than to create the impression that Team Quirk has the backing of council. Team Quirk becomes the Council's Team Quirk. It gives them a powerful advantage over rivals who are playing by the rules.
They are cheats because it's strictly against council rules for the official branding cleat to be used for political purposes.
They are cowards because while Lord Mayor Quirk will happily repeat a claim that his candidates do not use the council cleat, Cr Quirk has never had the courage of his convictions and answer legitimate and reasonable questions from The Independent over years, challenging him to explain how what Team Quirk uses differs from the official cleat, and to explain how any reasonable person could tell the difference. In other words, we called Cr Quirk's bluff. He and his team stand condemned by their silence.
The Independent asks the voters of Brisbane a very simple and basic question: why should you obey both the letter and the spirit of council rules and by-laws if Team Quirk candidates happily and blatantly break them for political gain?
Citizens who break council rules, such as overstaying on an expired parking meter or using a water sprinkler out of hours when restrictions apply, run the risk of a fine. Team Quirk candidates are blatantly breaking council rules to improve their chances of keeping or gaining well-paid jobs on the public purse.
What the LNP/Team Quirk are trying to get away with once again has nothing to do with politics played in an open, fair and honest way. It has nothing to do with strong and decent community leadership. It is devious, deceptive and politically dishonest.
It is this newspaper's view that the LNP/Team Quirk shouldn't be in charge of running a chook raffle, let alone a great city.
The LNP/Team Quirk are con-artists, cheats and coward and here's why.
They are con-artists because what they use is there for no other purpose than to let the public think it is the council cleat. And that deceptive, devious and politically dishonest exercise has no other purpose than to create the impression that Team Quirk has the backing of council. Team Quirk becomes the Council's Team Quirk. It gives them a powerful advantage over rivals who are playing by the rules.
They are cheats because it's strictly against council rules for the official branding cleat to be used for political purposes.
They are cowards because while Lord Mayor Quirk will happily repeat a claim that his candidates do not use the council cleat, Cr Quirk has never had the courage of his convictions and answer legitimate and reasonable questions from The Independent over years, challenging him to explain how what Team Quirk uses differs from the official cleat, and to explain how any reasonable person could tell the difference. In other words, we called Cr Quirk's bluff. He and his team stand condemned by their silence.
The Independent asks the voters of Brisbane a very simple and basic question: why should you obey both the letter and the spirit of council rules and by-laws if Team Quirk candidates happily and blatantly break them for political gain?
Citizens who break council rules, such as overstaying on an expired parking meter or using a water sprinkler out of hours when restrictions apply, run the risk of a fine. Team Quirk candidates are blatantly breaking council rules to improve their chances of keeping or gaining well-paid jobs on the public purse.
What the LNP/Team Quirk are trying to get away with once again has nothing to do with politics played in an open, fair and honest way. It has nothing to do with strong and decent community leadership. It is devious, deceptive and politically dishonest.
It is this newspaper's view that the LNP/Team Quirk shouldn't be in charge of running a chook raffle, let alone a great city.
Top: A current Team Quirk sign in New Farm. Above: the real council branding 'cleat' in a print advertisement. Amazing likeness, eh? Editor's note: both these images were taken by a phone camera. Both RGB images have been resized but have not been altered or enhanced digitally in any way. In printed form using CMYK, the yellow in both of these images looks yellower to the eye.
Top: Footpath signs used by Team Quirk at the 2012 council elections. Above: the real council branding "cleat". Lord Mayor Quirk for three long years (and Cr Vicki Howard, then just a humble citizen, for almost as long) have refused to answer our basic questions over their use of the copycat council cleat. Fresh questions for the current election have once again gone unanswered.
