In Queensland, the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has handed down its report into local governments.
The Commission’s ‘Operation Belcarra’ report focused on four councils: Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Logan and Gold Coast and examined “non-compliance” issues spanning election campaign funding and donations.
President of Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Mark Jamieson responded to the report earlier today and said the association supports all but two recommendations handed down by the Commission: developer donation bans and allowing councils to force councillors with a conflict of interest to leave a council meeting.
“The LGAQ supports the Palaszczuk Government’s decision to introduce real time disclosure of electoral donations as an important step towards increased openness and transparency,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“The LGAQ is, however, opposed to banning donations from categories or classes of donors, such as property developers. This is discriminatory and would likely lead to adverse consequences. Prohibition rarely works because it drives activity underground. We believe regulation and transparency is the answer, not prohibition.”
He said developer donation bans in New South Wales “have been proven not to work”.
He also said the LGAQ does not support empowering councils to force councillors with a conflict of interest to leave council meetings, for fear it could become a “political tool”.
“A broadly defined requirement to leave the meeting because of a conflict of interest would have ramifications for council governance and become unworkable, particularly in small and rural councils where it is common for councillors to have multiple conflicts of interest (real or perceived).”
He said the circumstances and definition of conflict of interest should be carefully defined.
