cash-for councillors guilty on donation

Hamish Heard
A Magistrate yesterday found Geelong councillor David Saunderson guilty of failing to declare donations to his 2004 council election campaign.
A high-powered defence team of two solicitors and a Senior Counsel could not convince John Klestadt that Saunderson had been unaware that the Local Government Act demanded declaration of donations over $500.
Mr Klestadt recorded a conviction against Saunderson and fined him $1000.
“You have been found guilty of an offence which has great importance to the community,” Mr Klestadt said.
“We place in our politicians at all levels our trust and demand in return the utmost probity.
“The need for absolute honesty, probity and transparency in the dealings of politicians who control our lives must be seen as being without compromise.”
Mr Klestadt said Saunderson had “struggled to justify (his) position” during the hearing.
“I found his answers to some questions less than impressive.”
Saunderson said he would launch an appeal.
During the hearing both parties agreed Saunderson had approached Robert Harris, a senior manager for development company Lascorp, prior to the 2004 election asking for money to help fund his campaign.
The court heard that during their first meeting in August, 2004, Mr Harris agreed to pay printing costs for election material. Saunderson then presented invoices totalling more than $17,000 from two local printing companies to Mr Harris who paid the bills.
In July the following year Saunderson submitted a statutory document stating he had received no donations above $500 prior to the elections.