By Raquel Mustillo
A COUNCIL meeting called to address code of conduct issues within Grant District Council was partly in response to claims staff members were “harassed” and in some cases “bullied, disrespected and unsupported” in interactions with mayor Richard Sage.
The recording, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, reveals a number of allegations relating to Mr Sage’s behaviour towards council staff, including “abusing” former chief executive officer David Singe and other employees.
Held in February 2019, the meeting was called to address code of conduct matters following a hazard report lodged with council regarding alleged behaviours towards staff.
AUDIO RELEASED: The State s Ombudsman has ordered the released of a audio recording from a tense council meeting called amid ongoing concerns linked to behavioural breaches and the relationship between Grant District mayor Richard Safe and then chief executive officer David Singe.
By Raquel Mustillo
GRANT District Council has lost a 19-month battle to keep an audio recording of a controversial council meeting secret after the state’s ombudsman rejected an argument that the release of the document could cause difficulties within the organisation.
South Australian Ombudsman Wayne Lines has ordered council to hand over a recording of a special council meeting held in February 2019 to discuss “code of conduct” matters and a cultural review of the organisation.
By Raquel Mustillo
LIMESTONE Coast councils have discussed hundreds of items behind closed doors in the last financial year, with figures revealing staff and elected members met in private 210 times during 2019/20.
An investigation by The Border Watch has shown the region’s seven councils have collectively invoked confidentiality provisions more times in the 2019/20 period than in the previous five years.
State legislation allows councils to have secret debates for commercially sensitive reasons – which on balance would be contrary to the public interest – tenders, litigation and legal advice and to discuss issues involving the unreasonable disclosure of information concerning an individual’s personal affairs.