By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
TWO Greater Dandenong councillors have blown the lid off what they claim is a secret “mayoral inquisition” into them launched by mayor Angela Long and chief executive John Bennie.
Councillors Maria Sampey and Peter Brown revealed at last Monday’s council meeting they had been subject to a “confidential and legally privileged” investigation since May over allegedly causing council employees to feel “hurt and distressed”.
In a tense exchange with the mayor, Cr Brown twice demanded her resignation.
Ironically the councillors say they have suffered health problems due to the stress of the inquiry; Cr Sampey was admitted to hospital with chest pains and Cr Brown sent home from work with rocketing blood pressure.
Last week the pair demanded the public release of the investigation report by local governance consultants CT Management and M+K Lawyers. The two councillors, who have not been alowed to read the report, were confident they had done no wrong and had nothing to hide.
“Mr Bennie has had the report in his hands for almost two months,” Cr Brown said.
“He has a duty under his employment of the council to provide that report.
“It is in the public interest. We are a democratically-elected government which should be held to a higher degree of transparency.”
Acting on legal advice, Cr Sampey refused to front the investigation – a probe that should have been launched by a councillor vote, not in secret from other councillors, she said.
Mr Bennie told the Journal the report’s findings – but not the entire report – would be presented to councillors at a confidential briefing.
He said the privacy of all council employees had to be protected in disclosing the “sensitive” report’s contents.
He ruled out releasing the report publicly, but it was up to councillors whether the findings and the cost of the investigation would be publicly aired.
“There are matters that occur in any business from time to time where it makes a decision how these matters are shared and communicated.
“All of our personnel are entitled for their privacy to be protected until they’ve had the opportunity to understand the outcomes.”
When asked if councillors could face sanctions, Mr Bennie said: “It would be inappropriate to comment. Councillors will gain an understanding from the findings and learn from those findings.”
For more turn to pages 12 and 13.
