Call for councillor on charge to stand down

Hamish Heard
A Geelong councillor yesterday demanded colleague David Saunderson stand down from council while he awaited a court appearance on a charge of breaking the Local Government Act.
Barbara Abley said Cr Saunderson should distance himself from council pending the court case and quit if he was found guilty of failing to declare campaign donations.
State Government’s solicitors office charged Cr Saunderson this week over his role in Geelong’s cash-for-councillors scandal.
He faces a $5000 fine if a magistrate finds him guilty at a court hearing in October.
The charges follow a municipal investigator’s report finding Cr Saunderson failed to declare $5649 in campaign donations leading up to the 2004 council election.
The report recommended State Government should run a second investigation to determine whether Cr Saunderson should face court for breaching the Local Government Act.
Cr Saunderson stood down from his job in the electoral office of Labor Member for Geelong Province John Eren after Local Government Minister Candy Broad tabled the report in parliament.
Cr Abley, a former mayor, said the scandal had “consumed and tarnished the reputation of the municipality and in particular the standing of council”.
She said Cr Saunderson should stand down to prevent further damage to council’s reputation.
“I believe he should stand down and call for him to do so,” Cr Abley said.
But Cr Saunderson refused to leave council.
“I will not stand down because it (the charge) doesn’t disqualify me from council and I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.
“I’m not guilty and I’m preparing to contest the charge.”
City of Greater Geelong refused to comment.
The charge has prompted Municipal Association of Victoria president Dick Gross to call a meeting of the organisation.
Cr Gross said the meeting would discuss an appropriate association response to the charge against Cr Saunderson.
“There will be always be one or two councillors who expose the sector to disquiet and the meeting will examine whether councillors facing charges should stand aside from council duties,” Cr Gross said.