Karratha council candidate Brian Wall lashed over bungled Carnarvon project, targeted in corruption probe

A former council worker who botched The Fascine in Carnarvon and was 15 years ago targeted in a corruption probe at another North West shire is vying for a City of Karratha council seat. Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation ranger manager and Dampier Surf Lifesaving Club president Brian Wall is contesting the Karratha ward on a platform of growing tourism and lobbying the State Government on education and health care. Mr Wall was the Shire of Carnarvon’s infrastructure services manager in 2011 and 2012 when tenders for construction of the ill-fated Royalties for Regions-funded fascine wall and road upgrades were awarded to Curnow Group. He was also charged with corruption in 2006 over a weed and vegetation contract awarded to a Perth company while engineering manager at the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, but he was discharged in April 2007. Mr Wall declined to comment on both cases to the Pilbara News, but a social media post addressing the corruption cloud said he was going into the election with a clear conscience. “Most communities have been great places to live and work, however I found some places not so accepting of newcomers who want to make changes to their small communities, and they try and make it harder than it should be,” he said. “My background and experience in local government, both good and bad, will make me a better and more informed councillor. “If I am elected, I can ensure (sic) you that I will give my all in delivering what the residents of Karratha deserve — just gotta have that chance to show it.” Three years after completion of Carnarvon’s $7m The Fascine wall in 2013, it was falling apart and the Robinson Street road base failed in 2012 after rain because it was allegedly substandard. In 2019, a Department of Local Government report found Mr Wall did not test the road base and failed to undergo any due diligence in buying construction materials sourced by Curnow for The Fascine wall despite being told they were not up to Australian standards. Mr Wall’s lack of oversight was likely to have led to a significant cost blowout for ratepayers, the report found. The probe did not find significant evidence to back allegations Mr Wall had received gifts such as a car and holiday during the course of his work. The report noted Curnow had no previous experience in marine construction. Released two years after the City of Karratha hired him in 2017 for the same job, the report said Mr Wall lacked experience for the role. “It seems incomprehensible that an experienced engineering project manager was not engaged to manage the whole project however the project was left to be managed by a person with no existing qualifications in this field,” the report said. Former Shire of Carnarvon president Karl Brandenburg accused Mr Wall after his 2012 departure of failing to inform councillors about changes to the Fascine wall. “Brian Wall had told councillors we were going to go with 15mm thickness, but when (the sheet pilings) arrived, they were 9.7mm,” he said in 2013. “All of the councillors were pretty disappointed at the time — technical reports recommended 15mm thickness.” Mr Brandenburg said Mr Wall went through an engineering firm, which recommended marine-grade steel at a lesser thickness, but did not announce this change to the council. Mr Wall’s candidate profile claims his more than 30 years working in local government meant he understood how it functioned.