But the council also vouched for Mr Cianetti’s integrity.  

Mount Isa councillor Jean Ferris moved the motion for an investigation to be conducted.

Cr Ferris said she has been inundated by public concerns recently about allegations that had been brought to the Crime and Corruption Commission. 

An auditor would resolve the matter for ratepayers and for Mr Cianetti, Cr Ferris said. 

On Tuesday The North West Star reported Mr Cianetti was accused of gaining employment for his wife and promoting a brother-in-law in the council, and using council equipment and staff for upgrades on his property. 

The accusations were believed to have been made by a former council employee. 

Cr George Fortune supported the council audit.

“It needs to be sorted out once and for all,” he said. 

“There’s too much of a media circus around it.”

Cr Kim Coghlan requested that her objection to the audit was formally recorded. 

Later in the meeting Mayor Tony McGrady moved that “the council has complete and total confidence of the honesty and integrity of the chief executive officer,” which was seconded by Deputy Mayor Brett Peterson. 

Cr McGrady said there were “people who should have known better” in the council who encouraged rumours about Mr Cianetti. 

If these rumours were not encouraged by these people then the council would not be in its current position, Cr McGrady said.  

“I have a complete 100 per cent belief in his [Mr Cianetti] honesty and integrity and I know what he and his family are going through,”  Cr McGrady said.

Cr Anne Seymour said Mr Cianetti had about 300 staff he was responsible for, which was a difficult enough role without accusations made against him. 

The council needed to support him. 

“We come in as a team,” Cr Seymour said. 

The only person in the public gallery – Barry Byrne – burst into applause when the council moved to support Mr Cianetti.