Perth Voice Interactive

DID Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi ever tell council officials about serious environmental health allegations levelled against a business occupying a building she co-owns?

It’s a simple question but one the lord mayor and Perth city council’s CEO and his media team have not answered.

Last week the Voice reported — after gaining access to documents under freedom of information laws — that a tourist had written to the lord mayor to complain about their experience at the Grand Central Hotel backpackers, unaware Ms Scaffidi was a co-owner of the property.

In the email addressed to both Ms Scaffidi and council staffer Cecilia Firth the tourist complained of semen-stained sheets and cockroach-infested bedding. Ms Scaffidi emailed Ms Firth, “I’ll reply to this, Cecilia”. She then commisserated with the tourist about their experience, but without revealing her interest in the property. In a second exchange she advised the tourist she had passed the complaint on to the operator.

What is unclear is whether the lord mayor ever forwarded the complaint to council environmental health officers, as requested by the tourist, so the allegations could be followed up.