By LUKE VOOGT
A former Geelong councillor has donated an allowance overpayment to charity in protest at the council’s sacking.
Kylie Fisher gave the $1300 to Corio’s The Listening Lounge despite City Hall demanding repayment.
“I feel like this is the right the thing to do and like it’s my last gesture as someone who represented the community,” she said.
The councillors were paid one month in advance, so their sacking in mid-April left them two weeks overpaid.
Ms Fisher said the donation was her protest at the community “losing its voice”.
“They never had a choice in the whole process and many feel wronged by the decision, which was made by the State Government.”
“This means (the overpayment) goes directly to the community of northern suburbs that I was representing,”
Ms Fisher said she emailed City Hall asking to donate the money but was told she had to pay it back.
She asked to see “relevant legislation” stipulating she had to pay the money back but was “yet to receive a response”, Ms Fisher said.
Ms Fisher, who works in disability support, said she took out a personal loan to make the donation because she had already spent the April allowance.
“I’m a single parent and the allowance (was) my wage. Once that hits my bank account it’s gone.”
The Listening Lounge was essential to local mental health and wellbeing, she said.
“It’s run by volunteers and they don’t receive state or federal funding. That’s why I’ve chosen to support it.”
City Hall chief Kelvin Spiller declined to comment, saying the issue was confidential.
Listening Lounge volunteer Betty Strauch called Ms Fisher’s donation “very generous”.
