Councillors suspended, disrespect condemned, and alarming rates of sexism and bullying

On the first episode of a new season of the Local Government News Roundup:

More councillor suspensions after findings of misconduct;

A council meeting adjourned over health concerns for a councillor;

Disrespectful commentary towards councillors condemned by a Council CEO;

Yarra Council to consider increased parking fees for large vehicles and a proposed transition of home care services;

A $5 million investment to improve air quality in Melbourne’s west;

The NSW government moves to stop councils issuing ticketless parking fines;

A new survey reveals alarming rates of sexism and bullying at NSW councils;

Concerns in WA about the liability of Council CEOs for the death of volunteer firefighters;

And the council trying to ban smartphone use in public.

Transcript

Victorian Roundup

Hobsons Bay councillor Daria Kellander will be suspended from office for 7 days, effective tomorrow, after being found to have engaged in misconduct.

An Arbiter has determined that Cr Kellander breached the standards of conduct in relation to one of three allegations made by fellow councillor Antoinette Briffa.

The allegations related to an email and a Facebook post made by Cr Kellander about a proposed meeting of the councillor group called by Cr Briffa in October last year to discuss the upcoming vote for mayor and deputy mayor.

In her email, Cr Kellander referred to Operation Sandon and collusive conduct in relation to the meeting being called.

The arbiter, Dr Lily O’Neill, found that while Cr Kellander was entitled to a view that the meeting was inappropriate, and to broadcast that view, engaging in robust political debate did not give free reign to breach other standards.

Dr O’Neill found that the comments about collusive conduct in particular could cause extreme damage to Cr Briffa’s reputation, and were in breach of the need to treat other councillors with dignity, fairness, objectivity, courtesy and respect.

Two further allegations that the Facebook post breached standards of conduct were not upheld by the Arbiter.

The misconduct finding follows two recent arbitration processes involving the same two councillors.

At that time, there was a finding of misconduct against Cr Briffa on two of three allegations, with no sanction imposed; and a determination that Cr Kellander had breached standards of conduct with a direction that she make a written apology to the Council’s CEO Aaron van Egmond on her Facebook page.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Councillor Susan Bissinger has been suspended from her role for 31 days by an independent Arbiter who concluded she had engaged in misconduct.

The misconduct involved publicly suggesting she was unjustly punished by the CEO for her opinion on the Intersex Pride flag, undermining the Council and CEO's reputation, and issuing false statements to the media.

The suspension was effective from midnight on the 23rd February, and the Arbiter's full report was presented at the Mornington Peninsula ShireCouncil Meeting on 5 March.

Cr Bissinger is reported to be considering contesting the arbiter’s findings.

The Mornington Peninsula News reported that she has refused to apologise, as directed by the arbiter, and does not agree with the finding and the suspension.

A recent meeting of Colac Otway Council was adjourned out of concern for the welfare of a councillor.

Cr Tosh-Jake Finnigan reportedly became unresponsive during the meeting after placing a post-it note with the word ‘gagged’ on it over their mouth.

The Geelong Advertiser reported that Cr Finnigan was taken from the Colac chambers in an ambulance to Geelong after the frightening standoff that required a police negotiation and led to the councillor being tasered.

Cr Finnigan later released a statement on LinkedIn describing ongoing mental health issues, including diagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

They said they have no recollection of the events beyond an early agenda item.

Cr Finnigan said they would step back from some council duties, including physical full-time attendance at briefings and council meetings until well enough to return full-time.

The adjourned February council meeting was reconvened last Wednesday to deal with unfinished business.

Greater Bendigo Council CEO Andrew Cooney has condemned the disrespectful commentary directed towards the city’s councillors and mayor.

Mr Coonet said there is no excuse for online abuse, reminding the public that councillors manage their own inboxes and social media accounts, reading every word.

He has called for respect towards these individuals who strive to make the community a better place, and asks the public to refrain from personal attacks in their correspondence.

Yarra City Council could become the first Australian municipality to increase parking fees for large vehicles like twin-cab utes and SUVs, due to safety and environmental concerns.

The proposal from Greens councillor Sophie Wade is inspired by a similar move in Paris, and aims to discourage large and heavy vehicles on the city's streets.

The Age reported that the motion is set for consideration at a council meeting tonight.

Also on the agenda for decision is a proposal to transition all home care services to Mercy Health over a 6 to 12-month period.

The Council says the consideration comes after extensive client and community engagement on aged care services since 2016.

Efforts to improve long-term air quality issues in parts of Melbourne’s west are set to receive a boost, through a $5 million state government investment to seal roads in Altona, Brooklyn North, and Yarraville, reducing dust pollution.

The project follows recommendations from the "Air Pollution in Melbourne’s Inner West" report and is part of a larger $20 billion investment in transformational projects across Melbourne's west.

Victorian Briefs

The City of Casey has appointed Aligned Leisure to manage seven of its leisure facilities, with a combined annual visitation of over 3.5 million people, starting from July 1, 2024.

The move aims to reduce operational inefficiencies and streamline the management and operation of these facilities, which are currently managed by three separate partners.

Hindmarsh Shire Council is seeking community feedback on its Draft Body-worn Camera Policy.

This policy provides guidance to Authorised Officers, employees, elected representatives, and other stakeholders on the ethical, lawful and efficient use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and recorded data.

Submissions to the draft policy close ****on Thursday 21 March 2024.

Hepburn Shire Council has won the OHS Leadership/Achievement award at the Victorian WorkSafe Awards, recognition for its progress in building a positive health and safety culture.

The council increased the number of health and safety representatives to 20 across departments, developed policies addressing workplace hazards, and emphasized training, leading to significant improvements in their workplace health and safety culture.

Submissions close tomorrow in a ward boundary review at South Gippsland Shire, after an extension due to the impacts of recent storms on the ability of residents to participate in the consultation process.

A public hearing will be held next week, ahead of the final report going to the Local Government Minister in mid-April.

Peter Stephenson has been re-appointed as Strathbogie Shire Council administrator through until the October council elections.

Mr Stephenson was appointed interim administrator in December until 6th March after the Council was suspended by the Minister, citing an inability by the Council to resolve governance issues.

Allison Beckwith has been reappointed as the CEO of Banyule Council for a 5-year term from December this year.

Ms Beckwith was appointed CEO in December 2019, after serving in various roles at the council, including Director of Community Programs.

National Roundup

The NSW Minister for Finance, Courtney Houssos, has written to 128 councils in the state, urging those using ticketless parking fines to address shortcomings, and halting the ability for other councils to adopt the system.

The ticketless system, which began as a trial in May 2020, allows fine details to be sent directly to Revenue NSW, often without the driver's knowledge.

Minister Houssos has requested councils provide on-the-spot notifications to drivers when issuing a fine, allowing them to gather evidence and seek a fine review more easily.

Currently, 48 councils issue ticketless fines, making up half of all fines processed by Revenue NSW.

A local Sydney council is opposing a rezoning proposal that would allow six-storey apartments throughout the inner west area.

Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne said the proposal goes beyond what the government previously disclosed and labelled it as "absurd", according to a report from City Hub.

The council is awaiting dwelling targets from the state government, with Mayor Byrne suggesting that their solutions would be more effective than the Department of Planning's approach.

The Daily Telegraph reports today exclusively on the results of a statewide survey of female councillors in New South Wales, which has revealed alarming rates of sexism, bullying, and harassment in the local government sector.

More than 60% of female councillors experienced bullying, with 49% reporting harassment and 59% experiencing intimidation.

The survey, carried out by the NSW branch of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association, showed that many women reported leaving their positions in local government after being subjected to intimidation.

Only 42% of female councillors would recommend a career in local government to other women.

Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser has announced her decision to step down when NSW council elections come around in September after serving as an East Ward Labor councillor for 12 years and mayor for the last eight.

The Newcastle Herald reported (9 March 2024) that Fraser is proud of her achievements, and believes the council is in good hands.

Mayor Fraser has endorsed former deputy mayor Adam Shultz for the mayoral position, and says she plans to spend her retirement exploring Australia and spending time with family.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) has supported Clarence Valley Council's decision to protect the personal and confidential information of its employees in response to requests for staff exit interviews.

The interviews had been requested by community action group YambaCAN.

The Council's Corporate and Community Director, Alex Moar, said that the Council must satisfy the Government Information Public Access Act’s public interest test and that in this case, the public interest against disclosure outweighed those in favour.

Over 10% of candidates in this weekend’s local government elections in regional Queensland, including those who identify as independents, are affiliated with a political party, according to analysis conducted by the ABC.

This is only the second election where party affiliations have been disclosed to voters prior to the election, following a law change in response to issue largely experienced in Logan and Gold Coast council areas,

The highest number of party-affiliated candidates is in the Gold Coast, with 17 out of 46 candidates being members of a political party, all running as independents.

Separately, the ABC reports a 10% drop in candidates for this year’s elections, leading to a 33% rise in uncontested mayoral and council positions.

It says the trend has raised questions about public engagement with local politics.

Some attribute the decline to economic concerns overshadowing political interest, while others suggest contentment with current leadership.

Despite continued population increases, the decline in council candidates is notable, with concerns raised that a lack of competition is undermining democratic interests.

Concerns have been raised among local governments in Western Australia about the potential for council CEOs to be held personally liable for the death of volunteer firefighters under new workplace health and safety laws.

The concerns have been heightened after the death of a volunteer firefighter on the south coast of WA in December.

ABC News reported that the laws, updated in 2020 to include the crime of industrial manslaughter, have led to fears about their impact on volunteer firefighter brigades.

WorkSafe WA's acting commissioner confirmed that a council CEO could be held personally liable under these laws.

This has led to reluctance among some to dispatch volunteers due to liability concerns.

National Briefs

Augusta Margaret River Shire in WA has secured federal and state funding to transition its fleet cars to electric vehicles (EVs).

Seven existing fleet cars will be replaced with EVs and charging stations, supplied with 100% renewable energy, will be installed in Shire car parks.

The Shire will also receive around $100k in funding for the upgrade of the power supply to the depot.

Local governments, particularly in regional areas, are encouraged by the Australian Local Government Association to apply for a new federal Community Energy Upgrades Fund.

Grants ranging from $25,000 to $2,500,000 are available for energy-saving measures such as replacing swimming pool heating systems with electric heat pumps, battery storage at sporting fields, and installing electric vehicle chargers for council fleets.

Applications are open until 30 April 2024.

Hugh Phemister has been appointed as the interim CEO of Willoughby City Council. He previously served as the Planning and Infrastructure Director and led the "Securing Willoughby’s Future" project.

His experience includes senior executive roles in the private, not-for-profit and government sectors, with a focus on social and affordable housing.

The appointment follows the retirement of the long-serving CEO Debra Just.

The NSW Office of Local Government has published a revised framework for issuing performance and suspension orders, updated to align with current statutory requirements.

The framework guides councils on the process when such orders are considered or issued, including details on the appointment of temporary advisors, financial controllers, and interim administrators.

Lithgow Council held an extraordinary Council meeting last night to select a consultant to run a recruitment process for a new General Manager. A debate about the number of councillors to serve on the selection panel was contentious and at times heated, resulting in a decision to appoint the mayor, deputy mayor and one other councillor to the panel.

Current GM Craig Butler is retiring in June after four years in the role at Lithgow, and four decades in local government.

Central Queensland council, Blackall Tambo, is inviting applications for chief executive officer, with applications closing on the 11th April.

The CEO position is also open at far west Queensland council, Diamantina Shire. Applications are due with LG Services Group by the 22nd April.

WA’s City of Nedlands is also recruiting for a new CEO. Beilby Downing Teal is handling the process with applications due on the 2nd April.

And WA’s Shire of Augusta Margaret River is seeking an experienced CEO with a passion for community engagement, a strong understanding of social, environmental, and economic issues, and a proven record of positive organisational change management.

Applications close there on the 15th of March, 2024.

International Spotlight

Leicester City Council temporarily shut down its computer systems and phone lines last week due to a cyber incident.

The council is working with cyber security specialists and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident, and it is learning from other councils that have experienced similar attacks

It says it will be the middle of this week before the recovery of IT systems and restoration of phone lines can commence.

The council said that information for the community remains accessible through the council's website, and several emergency phone lines have been established.

A UK council has removed the term '15-minute cities' from its local plan due to its controversial nature.

The Times reported that the decision by Oxford City Council follows protests and reports of abuse towards officers and members over the proposed policy.

Despite the removal of the term, the council claims it will not affect their planning decisions.

Senior positions at Auckland Council are at risk due to Mayor Wayne Brown's call to reduce bureaucracy and duplication.

Chief executive Phil Wilson has proposed a leaner structure with fewer roles in his executive leadership team and the disestablishment of numerous general manager roles.

The major restructuring follows over 500 job losses across the council and council-controlled organisations last year as part of the mayor’s cost-cutting budget.

The NZ Herald reports that the final structure is expected to be confirmed on May 2, with the changes set to be implemented on June 22.

Grey District Council's chief executive Paul Morris has resigned with immediate effect last week, after four years in the role.

His departure follows a council decision not to increase his remuneration and a period of restructuring that saw 14 roles culled and eight new ones created.

The Press reported that the council had previously faced criticism for an environment of "mistrust and division" and for unbudgeted expenditure on consultants.

Meanwhile, the Buller District Council announced on Friday it had appointed Simon Pickford as its new chief executive. He was formerly general manager of community services at Dunedin City Council for nine years.

Deborah Lascelles will become just the third CEO in 35 years at Gore District Council.

Ms Lascelles will succeed CEO of 22 years, Stephen Parry, in June.

She has held senior roles at South Waikato District Council, Waipa District Council, and Hamilton City Council.

And in Fiji, the resignation of a town council CEO has been confirmed by a special administrator, two weeks after departing the organisation.

The Fiji Times has reported that Ba Town Council CEO Priya Singh resigned for personal reasons.

The news outlet has sought comment from the Ministry of Local Government but says its questions remain unanswered.

The town of Westlock, north of Edmonton in Canada, has passed a bylaw banning Pride flags and rainbow crosswalks on municipal property, following a plebiscite where a slim majority voted for the ban.

Despite the council's commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, the town will only fly government flags and paint crosswalks in a white-striped pattern.

The town council says it plans to continue supporting marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ community.

Seine-Port, a French village with fewer than 2,000 residents, has voted to restrict public smartphone use in an effort to combat screen addiction.

The restrictions, which are not enforceable by police, discourage phone use in streets, shops, parks, and other public areas.

The Guardian reports that village also approved a charter limiting children's screen use, including a written agreement for parents not to give their children a smartphone before age 15.

The initiative, which is the first of its kind in France, has sparked a debate about screen time, personal freedoms, and the need for alternative activities for young people.