Former councillor Lance Bagster disciplined for ‘misleading’ election material
FORMER Burnside councillor Lance Bagster has been called out for “misleading” voters with an election flyer which suggested he remained a current councillor.
FORMER Burnside councillor Lance Bagster has been forced to issue a retraction over “misleading” election campaign material.
Mr Bagster, who resigned from Burnside Council in August, was found by the Electoral Commission South Australia (ECSA) to have misled residents with an election flyer which suggested he remained a current councillor.
He also improperly included his former council contact details as a means for electors to contact him.
In a letter to Cr Henry Davis, who lodged the initial complaint, ECSA found Mr Bagster “could lead electors to believe that he is a current councillor for the City of Burnside, when he is not”.
ECSA found Mr Bagster’s flyer was “inaccurate and misleading”.
Mr Bagster has since published a retraction in another flyer distributed late last month.
In a bid to clarify his position, Mr Bagster told residents ECSA found his original flyer “may be misleading”.
“Be aware I am no longer an elected member,” Mr Bagster wrote on his new flyer.
Meanwhile, it cost ratepayers nearly $90,000 over the past four years to investigate three code of conduct complaints levelled against Mr Bagster, new council data reveals.
The complaints — including concerns with his “inappropriate and systemic pattern of behaviour and conduct” — were all upheld.
Burnside councillors were split over a council motion late last month to publicly reprimand Mr Bagster following a recent report by the Ombudsman which found he had bullied and harassed council staff.
The majority of councillors (5:4) backed the move, with Graham Bills, Anne Monceaux, Peter Ford and Felicity Lord voting against the push.
