Ban possible for councillors

Andrew Mathieson
Two Geelong councillors under a conflict-of-interest investigation could face hefty fines and seven-year bans from council, according to Victoria’s Local Government Act.
David Saunderson and Cameron Granger failed to disclose at a council meeting last week a conflict of interest over a rezoning request involving developer Lascorp, which contributed money to their 2004 election campaigns.
Both said they had not realised Lascorp was operating under the name Joemax despite a clarification on council’s agenda spelling out the relationship.
Crs Saunderson and Granger have since both stood down from their day jobs with Labor MPs Richard Marles and John Eren.
A spokesperson for Local Government minister Richard Wynne said the councillors would face magistrates’ court if the investigation found they had breached section 79 of the act.
Their fines could reach $11,342.
The spokesperson said Geelong’s council also had the power to censure the councillors.
Cr Stretch Kontelj, a lawyer, believed council should propose a motion of no confidence in the councillors if they were formally charged.
“They should stand down at that point of time until the matter has been resolved by the courts,” Cr Kontelj said.
“There is little to investigate because they have both conceded they have breached the act, which is very prescriptive,” he said.
“They have a mandatory obligation to disclose a conflict of interest before the commencement of the meeting and before the item comes up for consideration. They failed in both instances and in the second instances they sat through the whole proceedings and both voted in favour of the resolution.
“It’s an open-and-shut breach of the relevant sections of the act.”
Cr Saunderson was fined and convicted in 2007 for failing to declare gifts and donations to his election campaign.
The Independent was unable to contact Crs Saunderson and Granger before going to press.