The fee would apply for complainants lodging a complaint regarding corrupt conduct, fraud, misconduct, maladministration, and councillor conduct.

The fee would be refunded where the complaint is either fully or partly substantiated.

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Cr Mick Tully, who proposed the motion, said ratepayers were footing the bill for complaints which have been found to be false however Cr Danielle Slade said she would have preferred to strengthen the process rather than introduce a fee.

Cr Peta MacRae said the council had spent about $200,000 this year alone investigating complaints and the motion was not aimed at making complaints inaccessible, but rather preventing "frivolous" attacks on councillors.

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However, ahead of the LGAQ conference, Mount Isa mayor Danielle Slade the only councillor voting against taking the motion to the conference.

"I'm concerned we are making it difficult for community members to complain about us, which is not a good look," Cr Slade said.

However, a second motion to prevent anonymous complaints again councillors was passed.

Cr MacRae told ABC north west that it had become "insidious" behaviour to attack councillors with impunity and that it was about "political point-scoring" and was pleased the motion had passed.

"If you've got a genuine complaint, you should put your name to it," she said during the ABC interview.

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