Logan City Council

[achiruel]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-26/logan-councillors-ccc-charged-luke-smith-qld/11048494

Logan councillors, including suspended mayor Luke Smith, charged with criminal offences

Eight Logan City councillors, including suspended mayor Luke Smith, have been charged with a number of criminal offences after an investigation by Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).

The eight councillors, including Mr Smith, all attended the CCC on Friday where they were arrested and formally charged with 14 criminal offences relating to their time in public office.

Acting Mayor Cherie Dalley and fellow councillors Russell Lutton, Steven Swenson, Phil Pidgeon, Trevina Schwarz, Jennie Breene and Laurie Smith were all charged with fraud relating to the sacking of former Logan CEO Sharon Kelsey in early 2018.

Ms Kelsey was dismissed after seven months in the job in February 2018, with councillors voting 7-5 to sack Ms Kelsey at the end of her six-month probationary period.

She took her case to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, with Commissioner John Thompson handing down a historic ruling that Ms Kelsey be reinstated in May 2018.

Mr Smith has also been charged with fraud and misconduct contrary to public office.

The CCC has alleged Mr Smith put in place a check on Ms Kelsey's probationary period "quite disingenuously" and also sought to benefit another employee by not going through the proper recruitment process.

Mr Smith was suspended last year over other legal issues in relation to his time as mayor.

All eight councillors have been granted bail and are due to appear in court later in May.

So Ipswich isn't the only council in SEQ with issues. I feel bad for the non-offending councillors who will probably lose their jobs like those in Ipswich when the Administrator was appointed - does anyone know if they at least get a redundancy payment or something?

Maybe the answer is also to do what is recommended for Ipswich and have multi-member divisions?

[Stillwater]

There is precedent for a council Administrator to be assisted by an advisory group.  A case can and should be put that the 'good' councillors form an advisory group to the Administrator.  They would not vote on issues, in the same way as a full council, but they would have good corporate knowledge and know of issues out in the electorate to bring before the Administrator.

Of course, so would council staff, but an advisory group would bring a different perspective.

It seems a bit unfortunate that the whistleblower councillors will lose their jobs when - as is most likely - the whole council is dismissed in favour of an Administrator.

[techblitz]

So Ipswich isn't the only council in SEQ with issues

there were other councils including logan flagged months ago....

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/ccc-launches-corruption-probe-into-moreton-bay-regional-council-20180813-p4zx8t.html

I remember reading that article when it was first published........
It isn't any surprise given the white collar environment at the moment...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Luke Smith arrested, Logan council to be sacked as early as today

SUSPENDED Logan mayor Luke Smith spent last night in jail after allegedly breaching his bail conditions, drink-­driving and crashing his car.

Smith, 49, was held at Beenleigh watchhouse last night and faces court today.

Police allege Smith mounted a gutter and hit a car and a tree on Eden Lea Drive, Meadowbrook, with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.139 per cent about 5pm yesterday.

Police said neighbours had tried to stop Smith, who was ordered by the court to live at his father's Meadowbrook property, from driving away.

He was charged with breach of bail, drink-driving and driving without due care and faces Beenleigh Magistrates Court today.

The arrest adds to corruption and fraud charges levelled against Smith, who has said he would defend all charges.

It comes as Logan City Council is expected to be sacked as early as today after all but four councillors were suspended last week in an unprecedented corruption probe.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe is expected to move on the council after the CCC charged Smith and seven councillors with fraud over the dismissal of the council's chief executive officer Sharon Kelsey.

Smith was suspended last year after being charged with perjury and official corruption over alleged dealings with a major donor and developer.

He was also charged by the CCC with fraud over Ms Kelsey's sacking, alongside councillors Russell Lutton, Steve Swenson, Cherie Dalley, Laurie Smith, Phil Pidgeon, Trevina Schwartz and Jennie Breene.

Cr Stacey McIntosh was also suspended last year as she defends an unrelated fraud charge predating her election.

Mr Hinchliffe sought legal advice last week, including on whether he could use provisions introduced last year to allow him to sack a council if it is in the public interest to do so.

Logan will be the second council to be sacked by the State Government after the dismissal of Ipswich City Council last year in the wake of a corruption probe that led to 16 people being charged, including Mayor Andrew Antoniolli and former mayor Paul Pisasale.

All the councillors who have been charged are expected to defend the accusations.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/JoshBavas/status/1123743215235031042

[verbatim9]

^^Good. We need honest efficient Governance at all levels.

[achiruel]

What is Greg Hallam on?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-02/logan-city-council-sacked-by-the-state-government/11065408

"It would appear the move against the Council at this time was driven by political expediency, rather than good governance."

So the remaining councillors can't form a quorum, can't pass the upcoming budget, he expects the Local Government Minister to do what exactly?

Also from https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/retired-public-servant-to-take-the-reins-at-logan-city-council-20190502-p51jf1.html

The four Logan councillors who were not charged with any offences would be offered a paid position on an interim management committee to assist the administrator.

I think that's a good outcome for those councillors as was suggested by Stillwater a few posts above.

[Mr X]

I'm not an expert in council/state legislation but if the current councillors can't command a quorum, then they can't pass a budget. And I don't think appointing unelected people to fill 7 councillor positions + Mayor (a majority of the council) would be democratic.

[ozbob]

Ex-Logan mayor's estranged wife spills to investigators https://t.co/GPz4boDxQM #qldpol

— ozbob13 (@ozbob13) August 17, 2019

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1398291093469339648