Knight Mayor: Tea Tree Gully Council votes again for Mayor Kevin Knight to resign

Councillors have again demanded Kevin Knight resign over “inappropriate conduct” at another emergency meeting. But the TTG Mayor has denied any wrong-doing.

Tea Tree Gully has demanded for a third time its embattled Mayor Kevin Knight to resign citing “behaviour and public comments” and “poor leadership”.

Elected members unanimously voted for a no-confidence motion in the mayor at an emergency meeting on Tuesday night called to discuss his “behaviour and public comments”.

The mayor has been embroiled in sexual harassment claims alleged by council-appointed lawyers Norman Waterhouse.

The report said Mr Knight had shown “poor leadership” after it was revealed he had breached council’s code of conduct 31 times following the independent investigation.

Mr Knight did not appear at the meeting, where council also voted for the CEO to ask the community to no longer invite Mr Knight to events, and instead invite the deputy mayor.

Adla Mattiske and Rose Morton protest against Tea Tree Gully mayor Kevin Knight before a meeting held by councillors to try to remove him. Picture: Ben Cameron

Cr Peter Field said it was the eighth time the council had gathered to address Mr Knight’s behaviour, which involved the “extraordinary number” of 14 cases of misconduct and 31 individual breaches.

Cr Field said he was “very concerned” by the vision of Mr Knight talking to a TV news crew.

“I think it is a demonstrated failure of leadership. It has brought disrepute onto the council,” Cr Field said.

“I would have expected more from a public officer.”

He said the matter would have been “nipped in the bud” if Mr Knight had apologised at the time and “shown more leadership”.

“These matters would not have escalated into the eighth meeting of this council,” he said. “We call on our mayor to step away.”

Lyn Petrie said Mr Knight “misused” his power as mayor and he should “face the consequences of that”.

Tea Tree Gully Mayor Kevin Knight and his wife attempted to escape the media on Monday following renewed calls for his resignation. Picture: 7 News

Cr Rob Unger said the vision of Mr Knight evading a TV news crew was “yet another example of disgraceful behaviour”.

“I’m sick of asking this man (to resign), I’m sick of having to take responsibility for this man,” Cr Unger said.

“He has dragged us down and our city into disrepute.”

He also said Mr Knight should honour his comments in a 2019 Messenger article where he stated: “I have no intention of standing down unless my elected members want me to”.

Cr Damian Wyld said the vision of Mr Knight yesterday was “shocking”.

“We made it perfectly clear we do not want him here,” Cr Wyld said. ‘We’ve done everything we possibly can and that’s why we’re back here tonight. We have no confidence in him, it’s time for him to go. Our city and its residents deserve better.”

Mr Knight had an awkward exchange with a TV news crew on Monday while out walking with his wife, while admitting he had been found guilty by “one investigator”.

He also told the crew to “nick off” during the terse conversation.

According to the agenda, council staff recommends that elected members call on Mr Knight to resign his position by Friday.

The council first requested Mr Knight resign in June last year.

Tea Tree Gully Mayor Kevin Knight speaks to the media following renewed calls for his resignation. Picture 7 News

Cr Rob Unger said Mr Knight’s behaviour had been an “absolute disgrace”.

“His behaviour is not acceptable by any stretch of the imagination,” Cr Unger said.

“He needs to apologise, he needs to resign, enough is enough.”

Cr Lyn Petrie said she was concerned the council’s call for Mr Knight to resign would again fall on deaf ears.

“But we need to let the residents of the City of Tea Tree Gully know that the mayor’s actions were unbecoming of an elected leader and there must be consequences,” Cr Petrie said

Staff also recommend council request Mr Knight make a public apology regarding “his response to the media” within two business days.

Staff also requested the CEO write to “all known” community groups, schools, sporting clubs, kindergartens, churches “and similar” within the council area, advising Mr Knight is not the council’s preferred representative at community gatherings or council functions.

“They are respectfully asked that all official invitations to the City of Tea Tree Gully should be for the Deputy Mayor or the Deputy Mayor’s nominee to represent council,” the agenda read.

In a statement through his legal team yesterday, Mr Knight said he “vehemently” denied the allegations.

“I am flabbergasted that my right to a fair hearing has been further prejudiced by the public release of large sections of the Norman Waterhouse reports,” Mr Knight said.

“I welcome the opportunity to have these matters properly investigated by either ICAC, the Ombudsman or the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

“I intend to defend myself from these allegations. I am confident that an independent and objective investigation of these matters will clear my name.”