Community
11 December, 2023
Rift escalates after impasse
DOUGLAS Shire councillors have refused to adopt new standing orders to ensure the orderly conduct of council meetings.
A motion, moved by Douglas Mayor Michael Kerr to adopt revised statutory standing orders for council meetings on November 28, failed after none of the other four councillors – deputy mayor Cr Lisa Scomazzon, Cr Peter McKeown, Cr Abigail Noli and Ray Zammataro – would second his motion.
None of the four councillors gave their reasons for refusing to second the motion.
It is another example of the conflict between the mayor and the councillors and follows a vote of no confidence in Cr Kerr in September.
Cr Scomazzon moved the vote of no confidence in Cr Kerr to adequately chair meetings, citing his continual blocking of motions to be discussed and debated by councillors as well as using ratepayer funds to personally seek legal advice to prevent motions being tabled, particularly over the Daintree ferry and the council’s media policy.
He responded with a lengthy 2514-word response at the council’s October meeting.
According to a report at last week’s council meeting, councillors are required to adopt and comply with statutory standing orders for council meetings policy.
“To clarify the parameters of informal briefing sessions for councillors, an informal briefing sessions for councillors policy is to be adopted as a council (strategic) policy,” the report said.
“Issues with procedural matters for council meetings during 2023 have been the subject of consideration on numerous occasions by the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) who handles matters related to councillor conduct,” it said.
“The OIA requested that additional training be provided to councillors on procedural matters by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. This training took place with councillors on October 3, 2023.
“The standing orders for council meetings general policy has been developed in accordance with the obligations of council as provided for in section 150F of the Local Government Act 2009 and part 2 of the Local Government Regulation 2012.
“It is a statutory policy. This policy was due for review in December 2023. However, changes were made to the best practice standing orders and model meeting procedures by the Department of Local Government in November 2022 which has necessitated the review of the policy to be brought forward.
“The standing orders for council meetings general policy and the model meeting procedures were the subject of a training session with councillors on October 3, 2023 with representatives of the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. To clarify the parameters of informal briefing sessions for councillors, an informal briefing sessions for councillors policy has been developed.” It means that no formal decision, or implied decision, can be made at informal briefing sessions and must go to an ordinary council meeting.
