Councillors stamp on accusations

SOUTH Gippsland Shire councillors Scott Rae and Mick Felton have spoken out, insisting matters are not finalised behind the scenes prior to being formally voted on by councillors at public meetings.

Both took the opportunity to make their points at Wednesday’s council meeting, with Cr Rae adopting a light-hearted approach to deliver his message.

He brandished a rubber stamp, following recent suggestions councillors have been rubber stamping their decisions based on the advice of council staff.

Cr Rae declared his accompanying ink pad to be long-since dry.

“Nobody’s used it for a while and I didn’t see anyone pick it up to today, so we’re not rubber stamping anything,” he said, amusing many of those present.

One wit in the public gallery pointed out that Cr Rae himself had just picked up the stamp.

Cr Felton took a more direct approach to the voting issue, referring to accusations of councillors “making decisions in closed settings”.

“I can straight out say this, and I’m happy to do an affidavit, happy to do a stat dec or swear on my mother’s life that does not happen,” Cr Felton said.

“I’m sick of hearing it and it is wrong, and the decisions are made as per the Local Government Act.”

He added that councillors make decisions in public meetings when matters are presented for voting, taking the advice of council staff into account.

“When it comes to voting on the day, what you haven’t seen is the questions we have raised, the additional information we have sought, and when we make a decision, we make it based on all relevant information,” Cr Felton said.

He issued a challenge to those asserting otherwise.

“For those that continue with their rubber stamp and voting behind closed doors rubbish, if you’ve got evidence to prove it, I suggest you go through the normal chain and make your complaints,” Cr Felton said.

“It’s starting to get a little bit frustrating,” he added.

The councillors’ comments follow the July council meeting and the controversial decision not to sell a piece of council-owned land in Mardan Road Koorooman to the adjoining landowner to establish a cattle underpass.

The proponent of that initiative, Warren Lester, argued council is acting as a Board, with decisions already finalised prior to councillors’ public votes.

He pointed to the high number of unanimous councillor votes, with only a couple of decisions dividing councillors since their election late last year.