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Wednesday 6 February 2019
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Shocking day Lightning lit up the sky in Aspendale, as wild weather lashed the area. Picture: Gary Sissons
Heated debate on Bay Trail leads to investigation Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au A FIERY debate over the Bay Trail has led to Kingston councillors voting to refer the decision to proceed with works to Victoria’s peak anti-corruption authority for investigation. Cr Geoff Gledhill successfully moved at the 29 January council meeting that “council refer the [Bay Trail] matter to the Independent Broad Based Anti Corruption Commission and ask them to undertake an investigation into whether any improper or illegal actions by any participants may have influenced the outcome in this matter.” Before the vote, Cr Steve Staikos moved an amendment asking for an
IBAC investigation into an alleged conflict of interest held by Cr Gledhill, and alleged improper conduct during his state election campaign. That amendment was voted down by Crs Gledhill, George Hua, Tamsin Bearsley, and Ron Brownlees. The mayor Cr Georgina Oxley was critical of the debate that had occurred “without one bit of evidence”. “I’m not afraid of an investigation because at no point in the democratic decision making that has occurred on this issue do I believe that people have acted illegally. If there is not a problem with an investigation, then the amendments that were put up by Cr Staikos would have been supported,” Cr Oxley said. “I do believe some councillors do have a problem with that because they’re
afraid of what will be found out.” Cr Gledhill said he moved the motion for an IBAC investigation because Bay Trail plans “hadn’t been discussed, had not been discussed by the previous council and hadn’t been discussed with the community. What has ensured over the following couple of years is that the community isn’t happy with them.” “Having said that, council has made a decision that is technically correct, but I argue morally it may not have been. The community feel disenfranchised and neglected.” He said that “90 per cent of the community do not want” the Bay Trail and that “questions have also been raised in relation to the apparent lack of transparency on the part of the decision makers and the processes they have adopted.”
Cr Staikos said he did not think that 90 percent of residents disagreed with the Bay Trail, and said the allegation of a lack of transparency did not hold up because the decisions had taken place in “open council”. He said “the allegation that council had acted illegally” was “ridiculous”. Cr Brownlees said the original motion for an investigation “includes all parties involved in the [Bay Trail] decision over the period of time, and that’s the key to it.” “There’s lots of good, honest, and I think innocent people in this council who have their professional integrity and professional ideals questioned by people outside this council. They have the right to do that but that’s not fair. Let’s bring the thing into a forum that
can investigate them.” Councillors fiercely debated the issue for close to an hour at the meeting, with Cr Staikos heavily criticising Crs Gledhill and Brownlees prior to moving his amended motion. “We have received no advice to substantiate any of these allegations or any of these assertions. I feel as though this is just another opportunity for Cr Brownlees and Cr Gledhill to try to reprosecute this case, a position they have tried to take to this council for the past two years when it was very clear that council wanted to shift its views and position on how the Bay Trail would be delivered.” Continued Page 3