Legislation a grey area for Dunne
Mon 21 May 2007
Bethany Young, Journalism
Maroochy councillors have recently been in the spotlight, with some accepting gifts from developers and others accused of not declaring interests and assets.
The Sunshine Coast Daily reported that Maroochy Shire Councillor Bruce Dunne failed to declare $1 million worth of property assets jointly owned between himself, his wife and his brothers.
Cr Dunne said he did not believe he legally had to declare his partner’s assets on his personal material interest register.
Cr Dunne, who is in his second term of office, described the register as a “grey area” in local law.
“There are some broad statements contained there-in that I believe need some clarification,” Cr Dunne said.
He asked the council for clarification regarding the personal and related person’s interest register.
Mayor Joe Natoli said it was up to councillors to know and understand what the act required. He told the councillors it was their sole responsibility to seek advice from their local department or the CEO if they were unsure of any legislation.
“There is a public perception that people (councillors) have done the wrong thing. It’s up to us to raise the bar,” Mayor Natoli said.
Governance General Manager, Jeff Harris agreed with Cr Dunne that the legislation “had always been a grey area”. He said the principles behind the legislation were not complex but the specific details were.
He said the related person’s register extended as far as including a councillor’s children’s assets. Subsequently a councillor’s partner’s assets must also be included.
Mr Harris said part of the problem lay in the discrepancies between local and state legislation.
He said the lengths to which councillor’s had to go to declare interests was “more onerous than what the state pollies have to do”.
At a previous council meeting Mayor Natoli moved a motion to post councillor’s interests registers on the Maroochy Shire Council website. In the wake of the controversy Mayor Natoli withdrew the motion.
When asked if he thought an online registry would be beneficial Cr Dunne said “no”.
“One would have to ask, what benefit would it be for the general good of the public,” he said.
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