(It is always good to have documented evidence that make others’ answers
immaterial)
BACKGROUND:
The so-called public exoneration from
accusations in the Fitz Gerald Report has come from the Commissioner for York, James
Best. The Department of Local Government has refused to investigate any
allegations of impropriety prior to the resignation of CEO Ray Hooper in April
2014.The WA Corruption and Crime Commission is too busy investigating impropriety
in its own ranks. So what has allegedly happened? The Shire of York
investigated itself and decided it had no case to answer! Funny that, but it’s
never over until the ‘fat lady sings’.
A ‘Q & A’ FOR RAY.
(Ray Hooper steps onto the stage to loud, local community applause.)
Mr. Ray Hooper, you have continued to protest your innocence of any wrongdoing as the Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of York and recently claimed, publically, that you had been exonerated by the authority with appropriate investigatory capacity and therefor appropriate jurisdiction, being the Shire of York.
You should therefore have no hesitation in answering questions that have intrigued the York community for years, on the understanding that your answers have been accepted as fact by the arbiter of exoneration, the Shire of York.
Q. Mr. Michael Fitz Gerald of Fitz Gerald Strategies arrived at the Shire of York Offices to commence his investigation on April 15, 2014. You tendered your resignation on the same day. As you have always claimed your innocence why did you resign on that day or any other day?
A. I could not stand to be picked on by all those nasty people. Where were all my obsequious, servile friends when I needed them?
Q. Subsequently you stated publically that your Corporate Credit Card statements had been subject to audit. The auditors denied this had occurred and it was clearly stated that your credit card had never been reviewed or authorized by anyone prior to any payment being made.
Do you claim these auditors are liars?
A. I personally looked at them, so let us call that my self-auditing. Would you trust a real auditor with your silverware?
Q. It is alleged that two councillors on the Shire of York Audit Committee, responsible for ensuring the proper and appropriate use of Shire of York municipal funds, received goods and services that they should not be entitled to, paid for by your Corporate Credit Card.
Do you deny this?
A. I thought they were my unctuous friends. You scratch mine- I’ll scratch yours.
Q. It is alleged that what could be constituted as endemic and systemic impropriety within the Shire of York commenced sometime after 2004 and legitimate public concerns were raised regarding this in 2008.
Do you recall what these concerns were?
A. What concerns? I just kept a few secrets like how much I love to travel and how much my love cost.
Q. It is alleged that, ignoring community expectations, you employed staff without the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and adequate experience to undertake important financial and senior management roles. This compromised safe and secure financial practices resulting in the theft of municipal funds from the York Tourist Bureau Inc.
What do you have to say to this?
A. Let us get one thing straight, I could be a nasty Bossy-Boots. In 2010 I used to send my managers memos such as you ‘have a lack of urgency and commitment to service delivery to the community’, you ‘lack action and implementation’, you have ‘no perceived interest in achieving results’ and ‘it may be time (for you) to consider other employment.
One of these guys had the temerity to say my behaviour was disrespectful to hard working staff, I was creating an atmosphere of fear and stress, was destroying staff morale and was undermining the stability of the organization.
That was when I got smart and put together my dream team of female senior managers, my “Ray’s Angels” with all the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience that I required.
Then when any ratepayer complained about anything-I plagiarized the living sh…t out of that former employee’s musings, telling those nasty people ‘their behaviour was disrespectful to hard working staff, they were creating an atmosphere of fear and stress, were destroying staff morale and were undermining the stability of the Shire”
How clever is that!
A ‘Q & A’ FOR RAY.
(Ray Hooper steps onto the stage to loud, local community applause.)
Mr. Ray Hooper, you have continued to protest your innocence of any wrongdoing as the Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of York and recently claimed, publically, that you had been exonerated by the authority with appropriate investigatory capacity and therefor appropriate jurisdiction, being the Shire of York.
You should therefore have no hesitation in answering questions that have intrigued the York community for years, on the understanding that your answers have been accepted as fact by the arbiter of exoneration, the Shire of York.
Q. Mr. Michael Fitz Gerald of Fitz Gerald Strategies arrived at the Shire of York Offices to commence his investigation on April 15, 2014. You tendered your resignation on the same day. As you have always claimed your innocence why did you resign on that day or any other day?
A. I could not stand to be picked on by all those nasty people. Where were all my obsequious, servile friends when I needed them?
Q. Subsequently you stated publically that your Corporate Credit Card statements had been subject to audit. The auditors denied this had occurred and it was clearly stated that your credit card had never been reviewed or authorized by anyone prior to any payment being made.
Do you claim these auditors are liars?
A. I personally looked at them, so let us call that my self-auditing. Would you trust a real auditor with your silverware?
Q. It is alleged that two councillors on the Shire of York Audit Committee, responsible for ensuring the proper and appropriate use of Shire of York municipal funds, received goods and services that they should not be entitled to, paid for by your Corporate Credit Card.
Do you deny this?
A. I thought they were my unctuous friends. You scratch mine- I’ll scratch yours.
Q. It is alleged that what could be constituted as endemic and systemic impropriety within the Shire of York commenced sometime after 2004 and legitimate public concerns were raised regarding this in 2008.
Do you recall what these concerns were?
A. What concerns? I just kept a few secrets like how much I love to travel and how much my love cost.
Q. It is alleged that, ignoring community expectations, you employed staff without the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and adequate experience to undertake important financial and senior management roles. This compromised safe and secure financial practices resulting in the theft of municipal funds from the York Tourist Bureau Inc.
What do you have to say to this?
A. Let us get one thing straight, I could be a nasty Bossy-Boots. In 2010 I used to send my managers memos such as you ‘have a lack of urgency and commitment to service delivery to the community’, you ‘lack action and implementation’, you have ‘no perceived interest in achieving results’ and ‘it may be time (for you) to consider other employment.
One of these guys had the temerity to say my behaviour was disrespectful to hard working staff, I was creating an atmosphere of fear and stress, was destroying staff morale and was undermining the stability of the organization.
That was when I got smart and put together my dream team of female senior managers, my “Ray’s Angels” with all the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience that I required.
Then when any ratepayer complained about anything-I plagiarized the living sh…t out of that former employee’s musings, telling those nasty people ‘their behaviour was disrespectful to hard working staff, they were creating an atmosphere of fear and stress, were destroying staff morale and were undermining the stability of the Shire”
How clever is that!
Q. Similarly, there is the matter of $220,000 in municipal funds that, apparently, disappeared in 2010.The public is still unaware of the current whereabouts of this substantial sum.
Would you be able to enlighten them?
A. We did not need a stupid old ‘Hino’ truck. We bought a ‘John Deere’ Loader instead. It cost us just $256,000, only $36,000 more than that silly truck. We put it through the books as costing $304,450. How clever was that. So what $220,000 are you talking about?
Q. You have four (4) still unexplained claims and expenses totalling $2,058. The terminology for this expenditure without due and proper explanation is “stealing as a servant’ and there are four (4) individual, potential indictments. Each indictment has a penalty of up to ten (10) years imprisonment under the Criminal Code WA
What is your response?
A. They were all legitimate travel expenses to make me the smartest CEO on the planet.
Q. There is prima facie evidence suggesting that you took considerable personal advantage regarding your rental payment for the premises you occupied for nine (9) years, paying three times below the property’s current rental value. This has never been declared as a Fringe Benefit Tax component by the Shire of York and may result in future penalties and taxes issued to the Shire by the Australian Tax Office.
What is your response?
A. I had to put up with bad TV reception for nine years and one of the toilets didn’t flush properly.
Q. There is a question regarding the deliberate falsification of public records by a public official in 2012. This has a penalty of up to seven (7) years jail under the Criminal Code WA.
Do you know who it was? Do you feel lucky?
A. What’s the difference between Balladong Farm and a vexatious ratepayer? I wasn’t sure so I wrote Balladong Farm.
David Taylor.
Ah. The cat spat out Ray's tongue again. Too bitter.
ReplyDeleteThank you, David, for re-posting these questions and this time forwarding on to us the most enlightening answers. Most appreciated.
ReplyDelete