Mayor, deputy clash over campaign rules

THE Borough of Queenscliffe has stopped short of adopting a formal policy governing how elected members campaign for state or federal office, instead endorsing the framework as non-binding guidelines.

The document was intended to set out expectations around leave of absence, use of council resources and transparency for councillors standing for higher office.

But when the matter returned to the council chamber last week, deputy mayor Di Rule successfully moved an alternate motion to adopt the document as a guideline rather than a formal policy.

“None of this is legally enforceable,” she said. “Therefore, I find it silly to make it a policy.”

She noted the Local Government Act does not require councillors to take a leave of absence while campaigning, nor to forgo their allowance, but said good governance would suggest they should.

Mayor Donnie Grigau rejected the move, warning it would strip the document of substance and weaken its intent.

“It’s a toothless tiger,” he said. “You might as well not have it.”

Cr Grigau said the community wanted clarity and stronger expectations of elected representatives seeking higher office.

But the alternative motion was carried 3–2, with Crs Brendan Monahan and Helene Cameron also voting in its favour.

As a policy, Cr Rule said, the document “wouldn’t have a leg to stand on” because it was not grounded in legislation.

“If we can introduce changes to the Local Government Act 2020, then it wouldn’t be a toothless tiger,” she said. “But I don’t think that’s up to the Borough of Queenscliffe councillors.”