Allegations of bullying, intimidation among Mitcham councillors
It started with 13 emailed questions about staffing levels and has ended up with allegations of bullying, intimidation and “personal slurs” at this suburban Adelaide council.
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Allegations of bullying and intimidation among elected members at a suburban council have been revealed in a series of emails.
The Messenger has seen emails sent between Mitcham councillors, sparked after Cr Adriana Christopoulos submitted 13 questions to the administration over staffing levels.
In a lengthy, detailed email in response to the questions, Cr Darren Kruse said he found they were all either “vague, or irrelevant”.
Cr Christopoulos hit back, saying she found Cr Kruse’s email to be “rude, condescending and unwarranted” and “verging on bullying”.
She said she was entitled to ask questions of the administration, on behalf of her ratepayers, without judgment.
This prompted Cr Dave Munro to chime in and say he was “bewildered” why Cr Kruse spent so much time telling other members “how to suck eggs”.
He said Cr Kruse’s emails could be interpreted as “intimidating” and asked him to “consider your tone”.
Tensions between councillors further erupted during a recent meeting.
Councillors were discussing Mitcham’s 2020/21 draft budget via Zoom when Cr Munro said he understood the council was “running behind on its capital works program”.
Cr Kruse asked for further information, saying there was “a bit of misrepresentation perhaps happening there”.
That comment sparked a heated exchange between the pair that had Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross scouring the meeting procedures and other councillors interjecting.
Dr Holmes-Ross eventually asked Cr Kruse to withdraw his comments and apologise, saying it would make it “easier” for her.
Chief executive Matt Pears also weighed in, saying Cr Kruse’s comment was “personal” in nature and “derogatory”.
“It is suggesting at the high end that Cr Munro lied and at the low end that he was deliberately misrepresenting to the chamber to advance his argument,” Mr Pears said.
“To suggest misrepresentation is a very clear breach of the code that should not occur in a meeting and was a slur on the character of Cr Munro and therefore the council.”
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Cr Kruse later apologised for “any inference” that Cr Munro was deliberately misleading the chamber.
Cr Munro accepted the apology and urged the Mayor to “just crack on”.
Tensions have been increased by belief among some elected members that a number of questions around finance are being asked at the urging of former Mitcham mayor Glenn Spear.
Mr Spear lost a spiteful mayoral election to Dr Holmes-Ross in November 2018.
Cr Kruse was contacted for comment.