The state's Integrity Commission has recommended councillors be legislatively required to disclose personal and financial interests as well as campaign funding for election candidates.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The recommendations follow an investigation into the relationship between Derwent Valley councillor Paul Belcher and property developer Roostam Sadri.
A report on the investigation, released on Thursday, found Mr Belcher had a personal and financial association with Mr Sadri and agitated for the developer's interests and pressured council employees.
MOST READ : Woman sentenced for harassing gay neighbours
Mr Belcher has denied the allegations.
It found Mr Belcher had received $5000 from Mr Sadri while he ran his re-election campaign.
Mr Belcher was also found to have shared confidential council information with local journalist, which is illegal under the Local Government Act.
The report stated Mr Belcher did not avoid or remove himself from positions of conflict of interest, rather his choices generated conflict of interest issues which he exacerbated by his advocacy with staff for Mr Sadri's interests.
"By openly representing Mr Sadri's interests, at times quite publicly, Cr Belcher arguably brought his position and, to some degree, council as a whole into disrepute," it said.
In an accompanying report, the commission said Mr Belcher's conduct was largely not covered by the Local Government Act.
It said the act imposed disclosure obligations only with respect to pecuniary interests.
The commission recommended this be widened to non-pecuniary interests and that where a interest is declared, that the council decide how a conflict is to be managed - not the councillor declaring a conflict themselves.
It called for all councillors to disclose campaign donations, not just sitting councillors as was currently the case.
Why not have your say? Write a letter to the editor here:
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
