Hobsons Bay councillor Daria Kellander has been suspended from office for 7 days, effective Wednesday 13th March, after being found to have engaged in misconduct.
An Arbiter has determined that Cr Kellander breached the standards of conduct in relation to one of three allegations made by fellow councillor Antoinette Briffa.
The allegations related to an email and a Facebook post made by Cr Kellander about a proposed meeting of the councillor group called by Cr Briffa in October last year to discuss the upcoming vote for mayor and deputy mayor.
In her email, Cr Kellander referred to Operation Sandon and collusive conduct in relation to the meeting being called.
The arbiter, Dr Lily O’Neill, found that while Cr Kellander was entitled to a view that the meeting was inappropriate and to broadcast that view, engaging in robust political debate did not give free reign to breach other standards.
Dr O’Neill found that the comments about collusive conduct in particular could cause extreme damage to Cr Briffa’s reputation, and were in breach of the need to treat other councillors with dignity, fairness, objectivity, courtesy and respect.
Two further allegations that the Facebook post breached standards of conduct were not upheld by the Arbiter.
The Arbiter’s report will be tabled at a meeting of the council scheduled for Tuesday 12th March.
The misconduct finding follows two recent arbitration processes involving the same two councillors.
At that time, there was a finding of misconduct against Cr Briffa on two of three allegations, with no sanction imposed; and a determination that Cr Kellander had breached standards of conduct with a direction that she make a written apology to the Council’s CEO Aaron van Egmond on her Facebook page.