Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell has been found guilty of misconduct by the Queensland Council Conduct Tribunal.
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The Tribunal has referred Cr Campbell to the state corruption watchdog after he failed to declare a personal interest when Council awarded contracts worth more than one million dollars in 2019.
They found one invoice was of questionable validity and referred the matter to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
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On 9 August 2019, Cloncurry Shire Council held a special meeting. One of the matters on the agenda was Item 5.2 - 2019 Flood Damage Road Restoration Tender Report, in which the Council considered whether to award a number of road restoration contracts to certain companies including contract T2019-RW5N to KJW Contracting with an estimated value of $1,046,133.25.
The tribunal said Cr Campbell had a personal interest in the matter as a partner in the Cairo Pastoral Company which was engaged by KJW Contracting in 2015.
It said KJW Contracting has supplied crusher dust to properties owned by Cr Campbell's family in exchange for in-kind payment; and invoiced Cairo Pastoral Company in July 2019 for the value of $3,383.
It said Cr Campbell's personal interest in the matter "gave rise to a real conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest due to the relationship" and he did not inform the meeting of his personal interest in the matter.
The Tribunal determined "on the balance of probabilities, that the allegation that on 9 August 2019 the Councillor and Mayor of the Cloncurry Shire Council, engaged in misconduct as defined in section 150L(1)(b)(i) of the Local Government Act 2009, in that his conduct involved a breach of the trust placed in the councillor, either knowingly or recklessly, in that the conduct was inconsistent with local government principles 4(2)(a)'transparent and effective processes and decisionmaking in the public interest" and section 4(2)(e) being "ethical and legal behavior of councillors and local government employees', has been sustained."
Cr Campbell denied wrongdoing telling the ABC perceived misconduct was a grey area and hard to understand.
He said councillors and mayors should be encouraged to understand what that threshold is "before being belted with a stick".
Cr Campbell was fined $500 by the Tribunal and ordered to make a public apology.
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