Dear Committee,

I am writing to you to seek clarification of part of the statement you made about me in the last members email that you sent out.  The paragraph in question is copied into this email below.

"If you do feel that you have been deceived by what Greg said before the election and in his printed material about being independent, not being aligned with any group and not receiving funding from developers, send your complaints to the Minister for Local Government (lgp@ministerial.qld.gov.au ), to the CMC (http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/MAKINGACOMPLAINT.html)  and to the Mayor (mayor@goldcoast.qld.gov.au )."

Could you please provide me with details of when and where I said that I had not received funding from developers.  You statement reads that I actually said this, which to my knowledge is incorrect.  They are the words of the committee and I want you to back them up with evidence.  If you cannot do that I want a public apology for the way you have misled the members of our group.

The statements that I have made were with regards to a trust fund that I received money from to help my campaign.  I was not and am still not aware of the individual donors to the trust fund.  The only place I have seen any comments about donors to the fund is in the newspapers.  Now, through personal experience, I can no longer believe anything of what I read in them to be either the truth or the full story.  My understanding of the makeup of the trust fund donors is that they were a cross section of businesses.  This is why I answered the FOBA email regarding funding prior to the election with the fact that I had provided my own funds along with help from friends and businesses.  That statement is as honest and detailed as I have the ability to provide.

I would also like to make another point.  Yes, I said that I was non-aligned and independent and I still stand by those words.  During my campaign I sought and received advice from Councillors as well as various politically aligned people from both sides of politics.  The advice was just that - advice.  I do not owe allegiance to any parties or groups, I do not owe anything to anyone except thanks to the people who voted for me.  It is my intention to attempt to work with all individuals and groups, including ALL Councillors, to achieve the best outcomes for my Division and the Gold Coast as a whole.

I request that in the interests of fairness you distribute this email to the FOBA members so that they can see my side of this.

Greg Betts