Cr Gaedtke – Councillor Report – Ordinary Council Meeting – 13 March 2024

Queensland will be the biggest loser from the latest GST carve-up among the states and territories, the Commonwealth Grants Commission has revealed.  In its latest report on Tuesday, the commission revealed Queensland’s share of GST in 2024-25 would be cut by nearly $500m on last year’s figure, to $17.46bn, while other states will also lose, and other states will benefit from the proposed changes.  How will this impact Queensland Local Government?

I have had a very sick husband for the past four weeks and shingles has caused him to suffer with severe nerve pain in the left side of his head, with very little successful pain control.  This has made me realise what is important in life, and what is not.  Yesterday, I was made aware of a third news article by close friends, that once again attempts to discredit me as a councillor for a live 20 second .  As human beings we all make mistakes, but we must own our mistakes and learn by them, enough said.  It is totally un-Australian not to be able to voice your opinion openly, responsibility and professionally.  The perpetrator this time may have shown the true character.  As I said after the second news article, some 13 months ago, I pray for the soul of this tormented individual.   I believe almost 40 years loyal service to Local Government outweighs one minor error of judgement.

As per Council Ordinary Meeting Minutes:

Matters of public interest – Cr Gaedtke
I read this morning that Queensland will be the biggest losers in the GST carve up amongst
the States. The Commonwealth Grants Commission has revealed this unfortunately. So, in its
latest report on Tuesday, the Commission revealed Queensland share of GST in 2024 – 25
will be cut by nearly five hundred million dollars so that’s a cut on last year’s things of 17.46
billion dollars. So, all I’m thinking, other states are losing obviously, other states are gaining.
Queensland’s not gaining, it’s losing and I wonder how this impact will affect Queensland local
government.

And secondly, and this pain’s me having to raise this but I think I’m entitled to do
this. I’ve had a very sick husband for the past four weeks and shingles has caused him to
suffer with severe pain on the left side of his head with very little successful pain control. It’s a
horrendous health condition. And if I can just implore everyone who’s had chicken pox or even
if you’re not sure about chickenpox please give them their vaccination. Shingles is a horrible
thing to go through I’m sitting and watching it as we speak now. So, this has made me realise
what is important in life and what’s not.

Yesterday I was made aware of a third news article by a close friend. My friend tells me that
it’s about a live 20 second video that I did back in May 2022 at the opening of the Toogoolawah
Gym and Pool. It was the official opening. Yes, I did a 20 second live video tape which was
against policy and the funding agreement from the state government as it funded most of that
structure. So, once again this individual attempt to discredit me as a councillor through printed
articles. This is the third one, the third one since May 2022. I’ve made mistakes but we own
our mistakes and learn by them. That’s enough said because we’re human beings. So it’s to
me it is totally un-Australian not to be able to voice my opinion openly and responsibly and
professionally as I did in the newspaper back on the sixth of March 2024 about how I found
local government over 40 years and who my preferred candidates are to lead this council in
the right direction over the next four years and beyond. So, the perpetrator this time they’ve
shown their true character by the article that appears in a local newspaper. As I said after the
second news article some 13 months ago, I prayed for the soul of this tormented individual. I
believe my 40 years of loyal service to local government outbreaks one minor error of
judgement. Thank you