Bligh, Merri Rose and what happened today?

[mik01]

heard something on ABC news radio about Bligh, Rose and fishing and Moreton Bay today at an invitation only luncheon at Redcliffe.

can anyone shed light on what went down? heard something about submission into Moreton Bay regional plan and Merri Rose's hubby being a fisherman (which is why she was there).

also mentioned invitations were offered to those who made submissions.

any ausfishers go and any info on what happened?

[Mike Delisser]

I think she now lives at Moreton Island with her partner who's business will be effected by MB Plan.

[PinHead]

bemused that Rose and Bligh would be associating after the former's jail term.

[Whitto]

bemused that Rose and Bligh would be associating after the former's jail term.It was reported that it was her partner that was invited Whitto

[Outsider1]

Apparently her partner is a commercial fisherman. The Courier Mail story indicated that they in fact were both invited.

Cheers

Dave

[PADDLES]

yeah he is dave, he's one of the pro's from moreton

[maztez]

From what I saw , there was no love lost between the Premier and Ms Rose .
Terry

[mik01]

yeah he is dave, he's one of the pro's from moreton

well thats just great ::)

Bligh hates Rose, & Hubby just happens to be there representing a section of the fishing community fighting the Bay closures.

hmmm - wonder what that will do for our appeals to Bligh for common sense decision making?

[Derek Bullock]

Disgraced ex-minister lunches with Bligh

2:56p.m. 28 April 2008
| By Jessica Marszalek

Disgraced former Queensland minister Merri Rose has attended an invitation-only lunch with Premier Anna Bligh.
Ms Rose, a former tourism minister, was released from jail in August last year after serving time for attempted blackmail.
She attended a community cabinet luncheon at Redcliffe Leagues Club, north of Brisbane, on Monday.
Ms Bligh said Ms Rose's appearance had been a surprise, but she could not control who came to public venues.
She said those who had made submissions on the Moreton Bay regional proposal had been invited.
"As I understand it, Merri Rose has attended as the partner of one of those people," Ms Bligh told reporters.
"Look, frankly I'm a little surprised, but this is a public event, it's not a closed function and these things happen."
Ms Bligh said she did not intend to "snub" Ms Rose, but neither would she seek her out.
But Ms Rose left shortly after a speech to the luncheon by Ms Bligh.
Ms Rose told journalists she was "happy to be here".
Once known as the minister for fun, 52-year-old Ms Rose served three months of an 18-month suspended sentence at a Gold Coast hinterland prison farm after pleading guilty to trying to blackmail former premier Peter Beattie into giving her a job.
At her trial, Ms Rose's defence argued she was suffering a "major depressive disorder" at the time of the threats.
The former Gold Coast MP, who now lives on Moreton Island, was known for her socialising as racing and tourism minister.
Mr Beattie last year said he was willing to say "hello" to Ms Rose, but would not share a coffee with her.

[mik01]

I still can't understand why the details of the blackmail were never made public. well, that is to say that I know WHY :-X he would have wanted it kept secret but thought that legally it was something that should be released as it was in the public interest.

i guess thats what money and power buys you - the ability to have preferential treatment over the rest of us....

[PADDLES]

why do we really need to know mik? it might have been over something private and personal to him and his family and so i reckon fair enough. i mean it's true that being a public figure such as the premier means that you don't have much privacy, but obviously a judge (and all the other people in the courtroom for that matter) thought that there would be no benefit in it being made public so that's that. if something were being "covered up" in some way i'd be thinking that a leakage of some sort would have occured well before now.

[FNQCairns]

why do we really need to know mik? it might have been over something private and personal to him and his family and so i reckon fair enough. i mean it's true that being a public figure such as the premier means that you don't have much privacy, but obviously a judge (and all the other people in the courtroom for that matter) thought that there would be no benefit in it being made public so that's that. if something were being "covered up" in some way i'd be thinking that a leakage of some sort would have occured well before now.

Trouble is without transparency there can be no trust in public office- and office they choose as a compliment to their life, wouldn't be the first time a cover up was OK in law under the thinest of justification, the people are perfectly capable of deciding for themselves what is and isn't appropriate.

Suspect that behind closed doors with the known historic quality of our DPP holding the then premiers hand they did a deal for VERY early release if she stayed gaged, not the sort of woman when in public office to put the good of others first before herself, so she jumped at it.

The judge was not there to make any determination of whether to coverup he simply abide by the deal done, so we do have a coverup with no lawful determination made as to the publics best interest.

cheers fnq

[mik01]

I think the matter is in the public interest, although of course it is a personal issue. its just that I have seen other b'mail cases of exactly the same nature being made public and the defendents and plaintiffs personal lives exposed to the public - thats the reason I believe he had received preferential treatment.

and FNQ I think you're right - reduced sentence offered by the DPP in return for a gag and silence.

then again, because he was who he was led to the b'mail in the first place. the average joe wouldn't have been subjected to the ridicule on such a public nature than he would have been. it could go either way, however I still think its in the public interest to know.

ps - not suggesting a conspiracy - although i guess it is a 'coverup' of sorts. and there have been leaks - just not published as I think its against the court order to do so. therefore I won't be saying anything further....

cheers

[PADDLES]

yep, i understand where you guys are coming from. it is a fine line is it not?

[Mike Delisser]

I think one could safely draw the conclusion the matter would be of a private and personal nature and not born of corruption or illegality. The CMC had a look at it and couldn't give a toss plus the opposition were only in interested in pushing the Labor infighting side of things and didn't want to touch the subject matter. Insiders say it would've made them look worse than him for making it public.
Cheers

[bungie]

Well it wasn't all that long after that he just got up and quit

[Mike Delisser]

Yeh Bungie that's right, and if you've got a good memory you might recall that his wife was the first to anounce that "HE WILL BE QUITING". Almost seemed to catch premier Pete by suprise.
Cheers