The Queensland Councillor Conduct Tribunal (CCT) determined Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie engaged in misconduct at two council meetings in June 2018 and was ordered by the tribunal to make an admission of his misconduct at a public council meeting, which he did at last Thursday’s Ordinary Meeting.
Allegations were made in 2019 that his conduct a year earlier involved a breach of trust placed in him as a councillor as it was inconsistent with two principles of the Local Government Act – “Transparent and effective processes, and decision-making in the public interest” and “ethical and legal behaviour of councillors and local government employees”.
The tribunal this month determined Cr Wilkie failed to inform meetings on 12 and 21 June, 2018 of a conflict of interest in relation to an application for a $2000 grant by the Peregian Beach Community Association (PBCA) to create a ring of 10 sandstone blocks in a public space adjacent the Peregian Community Kindergarten, which was on the council agenda for approval.
Cr Wilkie’s personal interest included his late father having been PBCA president, his own previous membership of the association from 2014-2017, and a donation of $200 for his 2016 election campaign from the then PBCA vice president Barry Cotterell, with whom he had a longstanding association.
In his address to council Cr Wilkie said he genuinely did not believe he intended to engage in a conflict of interest.
“I should have declared a perceived conflict of interest,” he said.
“I admit I made a genuine mistake. I acknowledge the finding of misconduct. I take full responsibility for my error of judgement.”
The tribunal also found that Cr Wilkie gained no personal or material benefit from the project which was recommended for approval by staff and unanimously approved by councillors. And the funding was not eventually granted as council created the proposed ring of stones as part of the planned upgrade to the Rufous Street Precinct.
The ruling also included an order for Cr Wilkie to complete training, at his own expense, on identifying real or perceived conflicts of interest within 12 months of the tribunal’s determination.
Cr Wilkie said he would be seeking a review of the decision from the tribunal.
He made a pledge to council to continue to disclose any perceived conflict of interest.
“This is a timely reminder we do need to get this right 100 per cent of the time – it’s what I always endeavour to do,” he said.
The tribunal’s report on its decision can be viewed at statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/77338/councillor-frank-wilkie-noosa-shire-council.pdf
