Former Shire of Exmouth president Turk Shales seeks return to council

Former Exmouth shire president Turk Shales has put his hand up for a return to council four years after resigning amid a corruption probe. Mr Shales was president in 2016 when then-chief executive Bill Price’s signing of a $1m contract for the Royalties for Regions-funded Ningaloo Centre aquarium was investigated by the Corruption and Crime Commission, throwing the council into turmoil. Mr Shales resigned from council in June 2017 after councillors were warned if they did not step down the State would launch another inquiry. In 2019 Mr Price and former Shire officer Andrew Forte were found not guilty of falsifying documents relating to the aquarium contract. Now putting himself forward to represent Exmouth again, Mr Shales said he believed he still had a lot to give the town. “I am very happy there are four candidates which means it has to go to a ballot so the people will speak,” he said. “I want the people to make that choice and I will accept whichever way it comes.” In the four years since stepping down Mr Shales said getting over what happened had required a lot of soul-searching. “I retired, I travelled Australia, and took a bit to get over what had occurred,” he said. “Every officer under me was totally cleared, there was no issues, we did nothing wrong, it is just one of those things that takes a lot to get over. “For years I did a lot of thinking and I still am passionate about the town so I am looking to continue a lot of the issues I was doing at the time.” Mr Shales listed three key issues which would lead his tilt for a seat at the council table: “Exmouth is such a beautiful place to come and see, it has so much to offer but we just have to be so careful that we don’t overload it,” Mr Shales said. “As far as Exmouth people are concerned we really need to look at looking after our youth and our elderly alike. “Too many times when I was in office... the kids had to go to school in Perth because they had no work and all of a sudden... the parents leave town as well.” On Gascoyne Gateway he held his cards close to his chest but said he was not opposed to it. The former president is one of four candidates running for three council seats in October. Local tourism figurehead Jackie Brooks, businessman David Gillespie and small business owner Darlene Allston have also nominated.