Council drug bid still on track

A MOTION to commission a report into the merits of drug and alcohol testing elected members of the Hobart City Council has passed.

At last night’s Finance and Governance Committee meeting both Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet and Councillor Mike Dutta said they were “uncomfortable” with the motion, which general manager Nick Heath said was not enforceable but worked successfully at another Tasmanian council.

All council employees have been subject to random testing since 2015.

“We know from recent reports that bullying and harassment are not isolated to just a few councillors,” Cr Burnet said.

“Also, this is difficult to support as it only covers illicit drugs, not prescription drugs and opioids.”

Cr Burnet said her main objection was that the testing would not be statewide and would not be enforceable.

Cr Dutta said “there are a number of factors which influence decision making” and that emotional state may have more influence than drugs or alcohol.

Crs Dutta and Burnet also felt uncomfortable with the results of tests being made public.

Mr Heath pointed out that the policy which governed the testing of employees was put in place as a duty of care measure, not to name and shame.

“It’s about harm minimisation and maintaining the health and wellbeing of staff.

“A centrepiece of the staff policy is confidentiality, even I don’t see the results.”

Alderman Jeff Briscoe moved the motion, which passed 3-2, saying it was important elected members be held to the same standard as council staff.

“It would set a standard and send a message that we have a culture of being upfront. We need to be role models.”

Alderman Tanya Denison, who jointly moved the motion, said drug testing was not new and the West Tamar Council was doing it with 100 per cent of elected members voluntarily taking part.

“I was around decades ago when drug testing came in in the mining industry. Any issues with this practice that could have come up would have by now,” she said.

“It’s important to be in a fit and proper state when making big decisions.”

The full council will vote on whether to commission a report into testing elected members on Monday.