Facebook critic Shaun Reardon announces challenge against Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty
A frequent critic of Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty has announced he will challenge him at the next election — two months after he was threatened with defamation.
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Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty will be challenged by one of his most frequent critics at the next local government elections.
Heavy machinery operator Shaun Reardon, 48, has announced he will contest the mayoralty two months after Mr Docherty threatened him with defamation.
Mr Reardon has run a Facebook page for several years which scrutinises Playford Council, particularly its spending and debt level of $138 million.
One of his recent posts questioned why Mr Docherty waited several months before calling a special council meeting over a sexual harassment complaint against former chief executive Mal Hemmerling.
The post triggered letters to Mr Reardon from Mr Docherty’s lawyers, further straining the relationship between the two men.
Mr Reardon, a former president of the Angle Vale and Districts Residents Association, said he had been contemplating running for mayor since he unsuccessfully stood as a ward councillor at the 2018 council elections.
“My reason for running is we still have a council that lacks accountability to its ratepayers and has a continued focus on the (Elizabeth) CBD which is draining council finances and increasing the debt,” he said.
Mr Reardon said that, with a debt of over $138 million, Playford Council needed to change.
“Playford people should not have to keep funding Glenn Docherty’s failed CBD dream,” he said.
“Playford people were promised a vibrant new CBD full of private investment which would help reduce council debt, ease the burden of high rates and make Playford a great place to live.
“Instead, the people of Playford have the highest level of debt of any council in the state, a history of high rate increases and empty blocks where promised hotels, medical centres and office blocks were meant to open.”
Mr Reardon said Playford Council’s debt had increased from $63 million to $138 million in the decade since Mr Docherty was elected as mayor in 2010 while rates had increased by a total of 44 per cent.
“City of Playford’s level of debt is so far out of control, the finance cost alone was budgeted to cost ratepayers $6.7 million dollars this year,” he said.
Mr Reardon said the council’s reputation also had been damaged by the workplace dispute involving Mr Hemmerling
“While the City of Playford was being steered deeper into debt, we have also had alleged harassment and bullying among the senior staff, a CEO sacked, the mayor referred to the State Ombudsman by elected councillors (who found no investigation was warranted), and a damning report into the use of credit cards by council,” he said.
“While all this has been happening, we still have bare patches of dirt where a hotel and medical centre were due to open back in 2018 – not to mention an empty carpark.
“As the world moves into the most challenging time most of us have ever experienced, we have a council that is lacking leadership, lacking accountability, lacking transparency and lacking any relief from high levels of debt.
“It’s time for change.”
Mr Docherty said he looked forward to contesting the mayoralty against Mr Reardon.
“It’s a democracy and people are entitled to run for office,” he said.
“At the moment I, along with council, are focused on COVID-19 and our response.”