ALLEGATIONS of a conflict of interest involving a senior Redland City Council executive and a local developer have been strongly rejected.
Fox and Bell Managing Director Greg Bell dismissed the claims as “unfounded and personally distressing”, amid heightened scrutiny of decision-making linked to the Weinam Creek project.
The allegations centre on a family relationship between Mr Bell and Council chief executive Louise Rusan.
Ms Rusan’s son is married to Mr Bell’s daughter – a relationship Mr Bell said pre-dated her involvement with Council.
“Those two have been together for 15 years and married for half of that,” he said.
Mr Bell said the declaration demonstrated transparency and rejected suggestions of improper conduct.
He said he had never held meetings with Ms Rusan about Council matters, with contact limited to family events.
He said attempts to link the CEO to planning decisions reflected a misunderstanding of how Council operates.
“Councillors make development decisions – that’s not the CEO’s role,” he said.
The site – which includes the ferry terminal servicing the Southern Moreton Bay Islands – has been subject to redevelopment planning for more than a decade.
The Priority Development Area designation allows development to be fast-tracked under State legislation.
In December 2025, the Council resolved to not extend a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Redland Investment Corporation (RIC) and the preferred development partner, Consolidated Properties Group (CPG).
The MOU was scheduled to end on December 31, 2025.
Council has stated the December decision does not cancel the existing PDA master plan, which still includes a commercial component.
“The December decision was not recommended, proposed, or made by Council officers, and was instead brought by a councillor as an Urgent Business Without Notice motion,” a Council spokesperson said.
“The CEO performs a statutory administrative role for the general meeting in approving reports and councillor notices of motions.
“However, the CEO or Council officers do not have a role for approving Urgent Notices of Motion under section 2.3 of the Meeting Standard Orders.
“The CEO is the only officer who can be delegated a function by Council under section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009, noting the Council lead for the Weinam Creek project is administered through Council’s Major Projects team.”
Council said integrity principles under the Local Government Act 2009, Code of Conduct and corporate policies require conflicts of interest to be declared and managed, with oversight by the Audit and Risk Management Committee and regulatory authorities.
“The Weinam Creek project is also supported by an independent probity advisor,” the Council spokesperson added.
“As with any process of Council, any conflict of interest relating to a matter is registered and managed under appropriate governance processes, including any negotiations required by a decision of Council.”
