According to the Local Government  Act a councillor is to represent the interests of residents and ratepayers, and  has a duty to keep council’s  expenditure and the efficiency and effectiveness of its service delivery under review. A councillor has a right to all financial documents in order to discharge the above duties. That a matter being discussed in public may cause embarrassment to members or employees of the council, or even cause a loss of confidence in the council is irrelevant when making confidentiality orders [Sec. 90(4)].

As a result of ratepayer concerns over the process used in securing providers for service delivery I asked the following question of the council : Why wasn’t this advertised publicly so that every one may have an opportunity to tender  for it? This may give us better value for money, and avoid the possible public perception that there may be “jobs for the boys”.

My questions resulted in Mayor Bates determining to refer the subsequent complaint to an investigator. This is a costly and time consuming process.

How did a legitimate question to the body of Council morph into a public accusation of an employee being corrupt as reported in ‘The Islander’ of 22/3/2012 ?

Councillor Rosalie Chirgwin
Kangaroo Island

[Most part of a letter published 2012.04.19 in The Islander]