Councillor to return after conflict fine

Alex de Vos
A Geelong councillor who failed to disclose a conflict of interest has walked away from Geelong Magistrates’ Court without conviction.
Cameron Granger was charged in May with failing to leave council chambers during a vote on developer Jaemax’s plans to expand Ocean Grove Market Place.
Cr Granger was also charged with failing to declare donations he received during his unsuccessful 2004 council election campaign. He was eventually elected in 2008.
Cr Granger, who pleaded guilty, was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $3000 in court costs.
Cr David Saunderson will face court next month on the same charges.
Prosecutor Nick Tweedie told the court a council report incorrectly listing the name of the company might have confused Cr Granger.
The councillors reported their conflicts of interest to the relevant authorities the day after the council vote before standing down from council duties, Mr Tweedie said.
Defence lawyer Darren Bracken said Cr Granger “voluntarily” admitted to the charges, so he did not deserve a conviction.
“In no way, shape or form did he gain personally,” Mr Bracken said.
“He has an ambition to pursue a political career and the decision would affect his future.”
Magistrate Ron Saines said Cr Granger had failed to exercise the level of care expected in local government. But Mr Saines accepted that Cr Granger’s guilty plea suggested he was remorseful.
“Our system is that those who make decisions (at a local government level) have no interest in the subject matter,” Magistrate Saines said.
Cr Granger vowed to resume his councillor role.
“It’s a matter of going forward and making sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.