Mayor Thorley quashes unfounded rumours

As the date looms for the Water Poll, Mayor Dianne Thorley decides it is time to put to bed the many rumours about her that are being spread by the opposition, causing worry in the community.

Among the untruths that have resulted in concerned citizens calling City Hall in search of an explanation, is that the Mayor will get an $11 million kickback for being the first in Australia to introduce water recycling for drinking.

Others are saying that Mayor Thorley will be getting public relations consultancy work to sell recycling around the world.

Our Mayor has also been accused of owning a motel somewhere, hotels in Stanthorpe and a number of hotels in Tasmania, where she would be moving after the poll.

“I don’t own a hotel anywhere in Australia,” Cr Thorley said. “The only property I own is right here in this city!”

Cr Thorley is also said to be moving to Wagga Wagga in NSW and the Gold Coast.

Yet another rumour being bandied about is that Di and her mother were surprised to find out last week that Di, an only child, had a brother who owned a hotel in New Zealand and that Cr Thorley would be going over there to manage it.

“All these accusations are totally untrue,” Cr Thorley said. “I’m here for the long haul. Win or lose this poll, I’ll still be here come Monday morning.

“And I have every intention of running for Mayor again in the 2008 election. Cr Thorley is calling for an end to these scurrilous rumours.

“This rubbish adds nothing to the debate about water,” she said.

While speaking to the media Cr Thorley also congratulated Clive Berghofer on realising that the science for water recycling is not questionable and moved to reassure him that Toowoomba is not “alone in the tin”.

Cr Thorley’s comment came on the back of the story aired on 60 Minutes last night which quoted Mr Berghofer as saying: “If 20 cities around Australia are doing it, right, fair enough, we'll all be doing it. We're all in the tin together. Here, we're in the tin by ourselves".