COPS GAGGED MAYOR
Ex-council boss breaks silence on rainbow flag pressure, as MPs trade barbs over local police row
EX-MAYOR Brian McKiterick, pictured, has revealed local Victoria Police top brass ordered him to stop expressing his views on the rainbow flag issue.
The police officer and former Surf Coast mayor last night broke his silence and told the Geelong
Advertiser the police gag order came after he had expressed views that flying the rainbow flag for gay marriage was not council business.
“I can confirm in late May I had a meeting with (police) senior management involving council — where I was the Mayor — and I was instructed not to make any further comment in public, or comment in council, with respect to the rainbow flag issue,” Cr McKiterick said. “I was informed that it came from senior management of the region.”
Cr McKiterick’s revelations come amid reports Victoria Police western region Superintendent Craig Gillard was asked to speak to the serving policeman about his views on the rainbow flag dispute.
Supt Gillard — who is on leave from the force after a dispute with Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh — was being pressured to pull Cr McKiterick into line over his opposition to flying the flag outside council’s offices, the Addy has been told.
This week, Cr McKiterick was adamant he had not breached any police policy during debates around the rainbow flag.
“I’ve been a councillor for 10 years, mayor twice, and I’m very careful to ensure that my two roles remain separate,” Cr McKiterick said.
“And I’ve got a responsibility to the community to make decisions based on community expectation, and I’m also aware of my role with Victoria Police in regards to policy.”
The local police imbroglio has escalated to a political dispute with Western Victoria state Liberal MP Simon Ramsay this week accusing Police Minister Lisa Neville of ordering Cr McKiterick’s apparent gag.
“It would seem her fingerprints are also over moves last year to influence the debate in the Surf Coast Shire over the flying of the rainbow flag at the council offices,” Cr Ramsay said.
Ms Neville, who is also the local Bellarine MP, adamantly rejected Mr Ramsay’s claims.
“Any suggestion that at any stage I have intervened in any way in any local government or operational matter of Victoria Police, is incorrect and defamatory,” Ms Neville said.
“I expect him to apologise for making such an allegation.”
“I couldn’t care less what his (Cr McKiterick’s) views on it are.”
Ms Neville denied any knowledge of senior police attempting to intervene in Cr McKiterick’s council decisionmaking.
“I don’t know anything about it, nor would I ever be involved in a matter like that — in fact I’m prohibited from doing so in the legislation,” she said.
Cr McKiterick’s revelations come as a crisis embroils the region’s top cops.
Supt Gillard, who had successfully lowered crime rates in the area, has been on leave since late last year following the dispute with Ms Walsh.
The western region — encompassing the Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Colac Otway regions — has been left with a non-permanent rotating police boss for up to three months.