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Edition 18, Wednesday 22 May, 2024

Page 1

1909

VOL. 116

NO. 18

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WEDNESDAY MAY 22, 2024

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PRICE $1.50 INC GST

Hitting the highway • Ride for RAW: Ebony Lette on board her son Bentley’s horse Molly as she started day two of her journey on her 200km ride from George Town to St Helens. T SEE PAGE 3 FOR FULL STORY.

Nine months on, still no answers BY RACHEL WILLIAMS THERE IS still no end date in sight for an outcome to the Dorset Board of Inquiry. While there is no statutory timeframe for the report to be released, those at the centre of allegations are keen to learn whether there will be any further repercussions. The nine elected Dorset Councillors were stood down by Minister Nic Street nine months ago, in August, 2023, but Mr Street does not appear to be the one who will make any final decisions on whether any or all of the councillors will be permanently sacked. Mr Street is on leave from Parliament to look after his mental health, leaving Acting Local Government Minister Roger Jaensch

in the hot seat. Mr Jaensch is set to be briefed on the report this week. The Board provided its final report to the Government on April 30 and a Government Spokesperson said Mr Jaensch must now consider its recommendations. “Acting on advice from the Office of Local Government, he has requested a briefing on the Final Report,” the spokesperson said. “The Government must provide the Board findings and recommendations to the Council and invite submissions to be made. “This is an important step to ensure due process is upheld and must occur prior to the public release of the report.

“After considering submissions, the Government will formally respond to the Board of Inquiry Final Report.” Commissioner Andrew Wardlaw said the council had not yet received the report to respond to. No timeline has been given for the process to play out. In some positive news for suspended Mayor Greg Howard, he was cleared of a Code of Conduct complaint submitted by Dr Vincent Teichmann. The Local Government panel found Cr Howard had not breached the Local Government Act. The report into the complaint, following answers given during Public Question Time at the ordinary meeting of Dorset

Same great team. In a new red. Justin Wiggins 0438 522 876 JUSTIN.WIGGINS@ELDERS.COM.AU LAUNCESTON.ELDERSREALESTATE.COM.AU

Council on February 20, 2023, was tabled at Monday’s Council meeting. Dr Teichmann had alleged that Cr Howard breached a number of sections of the code, including that he hadn’t made decisions free from personal bias or prejudgement; caused a reasonable person offence or embarrassment; didn’t give genuine and impartial consideration to all relevant information; didn’t indicate when he was are putting forward personal views and didn’t show respect when expressing personal views. The panel found that Cr Howard answered questions from at least six members of the public, and some Councillors at the meeting. T STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 3.


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