Cr Julie Arthur was elected chairperson of Water & Sewerage Infrastructure at today's statutory meeting of the newly formed council. A similar role to the one she held for 11 years as the Chair of Maryborough City Council's Works and Services Committee, a portfolio that included water and sewerage.
For the 17 years of her tenure as a councillor on Maryborough City Council she has been a member of the Works and Services committee (six years as a member and 11 as chair) while Cr Arthur's husband John Arthur was employed as the Council's water officer.
Had Cr Arthur declared a conflict of interest, as she should under the Local Government Act, it was incumbent on her to resign from that particular committee or at the very least absent herself whenever water was discussed.
Now Cr Arthur has accepted the role of Chair in the Water & Sewerage portfolio. I checked with the council's Maryborough office today and a spokesperson advised that Mr Arthur was on leave until 2010. Obviously one of the Maryborough City Council officers who had accumulated excessive leave.
On leave or not, Mr Arthur is still employed by the newly amalgamated council, presumably in his substantive role. It remains to be seen if Mr Arthur's position eventually disappears under restructuring or if Wide Bay Water takes over Maryborough and Tiaro's water supply. Whatever happens, Cr Arthur should not be part of that decision making process.
Cr Arthur should do the right thing, declare a conflict of interest, and move on to a different portfolio.
2 comments:
Jim MacKellar
Under the LGA a Councillor is only required to absent themselves from a debate and vote if they have a material interest in the subject. That is if they stand to gain or lose money by the decision that is made.
In instances where there is a personal conflict of interest, but not a material interest, under the guidelines the Councillor is required to declare their interest and detail what steps they have taken to ensure that they are impartial in fact and perception. Whether they withdraw or not is their own personal decision.
Still in all, one would have to agree that it would have been better for Julie to be given different portfolio if for no other reason than to indicate that it is not going to be just business as usual at FCRC.
It has been a conflict of interest for years. Her husband has basically done whatever he wanted because he was married to a councillor.
He took 2 years leave because he didn't get the top job in his section. He has said that he hopes this person and the water section falls on it's a.... in his absence.
He also has a council car for the whole of his two years leave, while other council workers who actually need cars for their work are told there isn't any available. Plus rateprayers are paying for this how can that be fair?
I actually think John Arthur should resign as we don't need someone with his attitude as an employee of the council.
Also another council worker put in for 12 months leave but was denied.
So if you are married to a councillor you can get two years leave and a council car for your private use for those two years and yet Julie Arthur claims there is no conflict of interest, no favours... yeah right!
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