Naracoorte and Lucindale Council Deputy Mayor Monique Crossling forced to fight to keep her seat

A deputy mayor, who was elected after her name was drawn out of a hat in a voting quirk, has slammed a move to see her term limit halved.

Deputy Mayor Monique Crossling has slammed a decision to re-examine her term length. Picture: Supplied

A regional councillor has come under fire after he tried to back-pedal the unanimously agreed upon deputy mayor term after a woman won the seat.

In November, the Naracoorte and Lucindale Council unanimously voted for the deputy mayor’s term to be increased from two years to four.

At that same meeting, a tied-up vote between councillors Monique Crossling and Cameron Grundy saw the selection of the deputy mayor come down to drawing names from a hat, as outlined in the Local Government Act.

Following Ms Crossling’s ascension, councillor Trevor Rayner attempted to roll back the unanimously passed motion and see the deputy mayor’s term reduced to two years.

The motion was not able to be voted on as legal advice from council needed to be sought first, which has now been delivered.

Councillors will debate the issue on Tuesday.

Deputy Mayor Monique Crossling has slammed a decision to re-examine her term length. Picture: Supplied

Ms Crossling said it was hard not to take the motion as personal alleging outdated sexist thinking contributed to the move.

“If the vote had gone the other way, we wouldn’t be having this discussion — to put it bluntly,” she said.

“Looking in from the outside it probably doesn’t look like a boys club — but when you’re in the room and motions like this get put up — it’s hard to put that aside.”

Mr Rayner, who nominated Mr Grundy for deputy mayor, defended the move and rejected that it was “sexist” or motivated by the fact the candidate he nominated lost.

When questioned about why he initially voted for the four-year deputy mayor term, Mr Rayner said the vote “happened pretty quickly” and he “didn’t realise it was happening”.

Mr Rayner said the deputy mayor election process should not be conducted like a “chook raffle”.

“In two years time whoever is the deputy mayor, whether it’s female or male if they’re not doing the job — (council) can re-elect somebody else,” he said.

Ms Crossling slammed the excuse as a “cop-out” adding the election process had followed the rules mandated under the Local Government Act.

“Councillor Rayner has been an elected member for more than 20 years,” she said.

“He brought up that previously, the term of deputy mayor had been two years so he had plenty of opportunity to move an amendment to that motion at the time.

“He chose not to and then chose to vote for the (four-year term) — he can’t hide behind (the excuse) it was rushed.”

Ms Crossling said motions that had been voted on should only be amended, revoked or rescinded on after more information “comes to light that could affect the outcome of that decision”.

“That’s the purpose — in this case, no more information has come to light,” she said.

“It has just that the outcome wasn’t what some in the room wanted.”

Naracoorte and Lucindale Council Chief Executive Trevor Smart said he was not aware of any “sexism issues across council” nor is there any current formal complaints of sexist behaviour.