Mayor accused of conduct breaches

By Paul Dunlop
AN ATTEMPT to take Cardinia mayor Bill Ronald to task over comments made at the Emerald Library opening was left to hang at the council’s meeting last Monday.
In a surprise move, Ranges Ward councillor Graeme Legge accused Cr Ronald of contravening the councillors’ code of conduct.
But his bid to have the issue addressed as urgent business was voted down by colleagues.
The confrontation came just before the meeting was due to close.
Councillors were preparing to finish official business when Cr Legge sought permission to make a personal statement.
Cr Legge said comments made by the mayor about the previous council at the ceremony to officially open the library in July had prompted concern among several of his constituents.
He said ‘shocking’ and ‘appalling’ were some of the words used to describe the mayor’s conduct by residents who raised the issue with their ward councillor.
Cr Ronald made no comment in response to Cr Legge’s claim and dismissed the allegation.
Cr Legge said he had taken the matter privately to Cr Ronald before last week’s meeting and requested an apology.
However, he said no apology was forthcoming so he decided to raise the matter officially at the council meeting.
Cr Legge said he believed Cr Ronald’s comments contravened the code of conduct which requires councillors to, among other things, ‘treat each other and all members of the community with respect, honesty and fairness and in a way which does not cause offence or embarrassment to individuals or groups’.
Cr Doug Hamilton voted with Cr Legge but other councillors did not support the issue being discussed further at the meeting.
Crs Ronald and Legge are Cardinia’s two longestserving councillors.