INSTEAD of answering questions about more allegedly undeclared travel, Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi has mocked a veteran journalist for “bad breath and botox”.
For the past couple weeks Ms Scaffidi has been repeatedly doorstopped by TV journo Liam Bartlett, who’s been asking her about more undeclared trips, saying he knows of four she’s failed to properly register, as required by the WA local government act.
Ms Scaffidi told him there were probably nine, but refused to elaborate.
Mr Bartlett has hit the same wall the Voice has been ramming its head against, with the council’s highly paid media unit simply refusing to respond to questions.
Ms Scaffidi reckons she can’t say anything while the WA local government department is still looking into the issue, but Mr Bartlett says there’s no such legal restraint.
After his report aired on Channel 9 on Monday night, Ms Scaffidi took to Facebook: “I was so taken aback my [sic] his bad breath given how close he was and the botox I was lost for words.”
Vincent mayor John Carey told the Voice it was a mayor’s responsibility to answer journalists’ questions.
Well, Ms Scaffidi hasn’t answered anything the Voice has put to her since September, when we published articles outlining her co-ownership of the Grand Central backpackers building and the city’s lack of action in demanding repairs and basic hygiene.
Bayswater councillor Brent Fleeton also took to social media, but to slap down Ms Scaffidi’s silence.
“This is well beyond pathetic,” he posted on Facebook, referring to Ms Scaffidi’s statement about undeclared trips.
“For all the great work that our various local governments do around Perth, this … further erodes public trust in our local representatives.”
Having recently proposed that Bayswater councillors be required to report on trips (with lists of expenses, food, cocktails and transport), he says “every local council in WA should adopt Baysie’s approach to transparency and public reporting for staff and councillor travel ASAP so we can move towards restoring faith in our system.”
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
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