Mayor yet to make apology

MAYOR Paul Antonio still hasn’t commented on a local government panel finding he engaged in misconduct, despite taking time in a meeting yesterday to address his colleagues.

Ordered to apologise by the review panel for acts of misconduct relating to commissioning an alternative route for the upcoming Inland Rail, Cr Antonio stood up before the meeting with a prepared speech.

“As you know Mr Chairman, recently –,” Cr Antonio began.

Cr Bill Cahill, who was one of two people to make a complaint to the Crime and Corruption Commission about issues they had with the mayor’s conduct during a September 2017 ABC television interview, stood up to ask the contents of the speech.

“Point of order Mr Chair, if I may, if this is in relation to the Mayor’s apology –,” he said.

“No, it’s actually not,” Cr Antonio replied.

Cr Cahill apologised and returned to his seat, before the mayor moved into a long speech about some recent performance management training completed by councillors.

Cr Antonio was found guilty last week of committing three acts of misconduct, including failing to declaring a material personal interest when voting on potential Inland Rail routes in 2016, some of which ran past a quarry he owned.

The panel also determined he had not acted honestly or impartially in commissioning a secret map for an alternative route, and for making a false statement during the ABC interview last year.

Cr Antonio is considering an appeal of the decision.