By Aneeka Simonis
RATEPAYERS have been “treated like idiots” by Cardinia Shire Council, according to a fuming voter who has accused council of “blatant dishonesty” in their handling of an alleged internal crisis involving a councillor who was up for re-election.
And another council watcher criticised the council for a lack of transparency leading up to the election.
The council had drawn out a two-month Pakenham Gazette investigation into long-standing councillor Kate Lempriere, before denying the release of several documents under Freedom of Information (FoI).
Now, council is also refusing to answer ratepayer disquiet over alleged action taken against Cr Lempriere during her final weeks on council.
Cr Lempriere, who had served three non-consecutive terms as a Cardinia Shire councillor since being elected in 2003, was the only Central Ward councillor seeking re-election to be voted out at the weekend election.
Weeks before she was ousted, she was allegedly banned from speaking to the majority of council workers.
The ban meant she could only communicate with fellow councillors, senior department managers and CEO Gary McQuillan.
Cr Lempriere denied all allegations, claiming she was “able to speak to all members of council” during the Gazette’s lengthy investigation, while council repeatedly refused to answer any questions about the alleged ban – even after identifying nine relevant documents under the FoI Act.
They included an incident report by a staff member dated 26 April, 2016, four emails from a staff member to the CEO, a letter from the CEO to a councillor and a phone call.
All documented exchanges were barred due to confidentiality reasons, and requests the information be released with personal information redacted was also later denied by council.
Cardinia Shire ratepayer Elaine Collins said if she’d known of the allegations earlier, she would have voted differently.
She accused council of “blatant dishonesty”.
“I was furious about it. I had no idea there was turmoil going on in council. I probably would have changed my vote and got rid of the trouble-makers and got new blood in had I known before voting,” she said.
“They’ve treated us like idiots.”
Council refused to answer to the criticisms.
“We will not be providing further comment,” a council spokesperson said.
Just over 70 per cent of Cardinia Shire residents voted in this year’s council election.
All incumbent councillors who sought re-election were voted in except Cr Kate Lempriere and Cr David Young.
