The list of allegations against deputy mayor Jasmine Hill could be used as evidence if she is referred to a councillor conduct panel.
If council, a councillor or group of councillors consider that another councillor’s behaviour amounts to misconduct, they can apply for a councillor conduct panel to be formed to investigate whether the behaviour constitutes misconduct.
During a council meeting Tuesday, October 26, Cr Josh Gilligan moved a notice of motion stating that in the event of the referral, the full list of allegations against Cr Hill would be endorsed by the council as evidence to determine whether “serious misconduct breaches” were made.
A summary of the allegations includes 19 accusations against Cr Hill such as directing staff to complete “unreasonable” tasks and using “a raised voice and aggressive tone”.
“This isn’t one, this isn’t two, this isn’t three, four, five, six, this is eight staff,” Cr Gilligan said at the meeting.
“These eight staff were brave enough to tell their stories … Cr Hill of course has the presumption of innocence until such time as she is perhaps, not found innocent.
“I do still believe that given the sheer series of allegations put, that Cr Hill should still be stood down by the [local government] minister or indeed she should simply stand herself down.
“Hopefully this matter can be tried and tested at a councillor conduct panel.”
Cr Adele Hegedich seconded the motion, stating the matter needed to be dealt with.
“We all signed a councillor code of conduct, we need to keep each other accountable,” she said.
“We need to see this through to the next step.”
All the councillors voted in favour of the motion, except Cr Hill, who abstained.
“If your intents were concerns sincerely about the staff’s safety and wellbeing, if you had the same commitment to openness and transparency and for good outcomes, I would encourage you to do the same as I do, which is to request council to disclose the allegations about yourself, if your names appear in the report,” Cr Hill told her colleagues.
