A former Integrity Commissioner will lead an independent panel to review how complaints about mayors and councillors are managed.
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said on Thursday that the State Government was acting after concerns were raised by councils.
The review will examine the statutory provisions relating to complaints to assess the effectiveness of current laws, and make recommendations about any policy, legislative and operational changes required to improve the system of dealing with complaints about councillors’ conduct.
“The government is committed to ensuring there is public confidence in transparent and accountable local governments,” Ms Trad said.
“This review is about ensuring councillors are held to high standards of ethical and legal behaviour, which puts the public’s interests ahead of any individual interests.”
Ms Trad said it was also about ensuring that when legitimate complaints about councillor conduct were made, they would be dealt with promptly by the appropriate body in accordance with the rules of procedural fairness and natural justice.
The three-person panel will consist of former Integrity Commissioner Dr David Solomon, former Logan City Council CEO Gary Kellar, and former Noosa Shire Mayor Noel Playford.
“This panel will work closely with my department and local government to progress the review, and I expect the panel will be ready to hand down their recommendations within six months.”
Ms Trad said the review followed a number of concerns raised by local government bodies.
“Recently, Local Government Managers Australia Queensland wrote to me expressing concerns with the potentially conflicted role of councils’ CEOs in the preliminary assessment and general management of complaints,” Ms Trad said.
“The Local Government Association Queensland has also sought changes to the way in which complaints are dealt with under the Local Government Act 2009, particularly the inability to currently seek a review of those decisions and the need to better ensure natural justice is afforded to all parties.”
Ms Trad said the complaints procedures had not been reviewed since they were introduced in 2009, so the review was timely to ensure there was a fair, transparent and accountable system in place to manage complaints.
Ms Trad said following the recent appointment of 40 new mayors and 247 new councillors at the March 19 council elections, the Queensland Government was rolling out induction sessions to councillors at nearly 60 locations right across the state.
“These seminars will ensure newly elected representatives are supported in their new roles, are clear on their responsibilities, and have a strong understanding of ethical behaviour, including the vital importance of declaring any potential conflict of interest,” Ms Trad said.
“Following on from the Crime and Corruption Commission report into Transparency and Accountability in Local Government late last year, my department has also ensured this year’s induction program has a strong focus on registers of interest as well as other obligations under the legislation such as properly managing confidential information.”
- Editorial: Complaints Review Long Overdue
