Jessica Benton
Geelong councillors have voted to spend another $20,000 on membership of a lobby group despite conflict-of-interest concerns.
They also raised concerns about the effectiveness of Committee for Geelong and its previous criticisms of council decisions before voting to pay for another year of the committee’s most-expensive membership package.
Cr Barbara Abley was the only vote against the membership renewal.
“Continued membership places this council in a position that creates a questionable conflict of interest,” she said.
“We’re paying $20,000 for the committee and its members to lobby us. How can we be objective when we retain the top level membership of the very body that actively pursues us, lobbies us and attempts to sway our independent role.”
Cr Bruce Harwood wanted a “bang for our buck”.
“In the past we haven’t been treated accordingly but we’ll just have to see what the next 12 months brings,” he said.
New committee chairman Michael Betts was “delighted” with the vote.
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