Blanco bites back: Councillor claims public apology was fabricated

Port Hedland councillor Camilo Blanco, who was censured last week, has denied authorship of a public apology attributed to him and advertised by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. On Facebook in the days after his censuring by the DLGSC, Cr Blanco said he did not authorise the public apology attributed to him. “The Department of Local Government has advertised a public apology suggesting I have written and authorised it. This is not true, I did not write or authorise it,” he said. However, as per the DLGSC censure order, if Cr Blanco failed to deliver the public apology written by the Department at the August council meeting then the Town was to advertise the apology on his behalf. The order also stipulates that Cr Blanco was to deliver the apology at council “without saying any introductory words before the address, and without making any comments or statement after the address.” The controversial councillor was censured due to assertions he made during the 2023 November council meeting when he claimed the town’s administration was part of a “cover-up” allowing a brothel to be registered as a massage parlour in a South Hedland residential area. Cr Blanco said he was being “targeted” describing the council’s actions as “authoritarianism” and calling the whole situation a “charade”. “While you elect people to represent you in all aspects of living in your area, you should be extremely concerned when your elected rep is targeted for standing up for your interests. This is not democracy, this is authoritarianism!” he said. Pushing back on Cr Blanco’s claims, a Town of Port Hedland spokesperson said the town was continuing its investigations to ensure the home business was operating as per its approved conditions. “The town takes its commitment to ensuring community safety and regulatory compliance seriously,” they said. “Officers have been monitoring the alleged non-compliance since the original complaints were made, and continue to monitor the property for compliance.” Under the Prostitution Act 2000, a home business must not be used for provision of sexual services. Town of Port Hedland chief executive Carl Askew, who made the complaint against Cr Blanco, resigned from his position in the days following the censure.