Mayor failed to declare interest
THE Mayor of Burdekin Shire Council has been found to have engaged in misconduct by failing to declare her involvement in two companies, including one tied to Palm Island, a tribunal has found.
Cr Lynette Mclaughlin failed to list her involvement in the Palm Island Economic Development Corporation and Virginia House Cairns Pty Ltd on her register of interests for about 18 months.
It was alleged that Cr Mclaughlin had been appointed a director of the Palm Island Economic Development Corporation Pty Ltd in September 2014 but failed to inform the chief executive of her council after she was elected as mayor in March 2016.
Cr Mclaughlin resigned from her position as director of PIEDC in February this year, therefore her register of interests was inaccurate between April 2016 and December 2018.
It was also alleged Cr Mclaughlin was appointed director of Virginia House Cairns Pty Ltd in July 2014 and had shares in the company but again failed to inform the council of this interest.
The company was deregistered in October 2017.
Cr Mclaughlin acknowledged her error and said neither of the companies, one of which was a family company operating in Cairns, had ever had any dealings with her council. “I inadvertently omitted these details in my register of interest and it is a matter of regret that this occurred,” she said. “I hold myself to the highest level of professional conduct, and to have made this oversight is personally upsetting.
“May I assure the Burdekin community that I have personally met all legal costs associated with the investigation.”
Independent assessor Kathleen Florian said the councillor conduct tribunal had sustained two allegations of misconduct against Cr Mclaughlin.
“Cr Mclaughlin was never paid as a director and the companies did not do any business with the Burdekin Shire and have since been deregistered,” said Ms Florian.
“The complaints were fast tracked by the Office of the Independent Assessor to the Tribunal which noted the full and early co-operation of the councillor saved the OIA the cost of a full investigation.
“The tribunal stated that as mayor, it is reasonable that Cr Mclaughlin be held to a higher standard of conduct, but it accepted her actions were mostly likely due to oversight.”
Cr Mclaughlin was ordered to reimburse $250 to the Burdekin Shire Regional Council as a contribution to some of the costs arising from the councillor’s misconduct and tribunal hearing.