Gawler Council spent at least $28k on legal fees over stoush between Mayor Karen Redman and ex-councillor Ian Tooley

A northern suburbs council has come under fire after a bitter stoush between elected members cost ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars.

Gawler Mayor Karen Redman has come under fire after her council spent tens of thousands of dollars on legal fees during a stoush between her and another councillor. Picture: Colin James

A northern suburbs council has come under fire after it spent tens of thousands of dollars of ratepayer money on a legal firm’s report into one of the mayor’s political opponents.

Former councillor Ian Tooley claims Gawler Mayor Karen Redman pushed the council to spend thousands engaging a top silk and multiple law firms during an ongoing stoush between the two members – who belonged to opposing factions within the formerly fractured council.

Current chief executive Chris Cowley said the figure was around $28,000, with all further legal costs covered by the council’s insurer, Local Government Risk Services.

Documents obtained by The Advertiser reveal at least three unsuccessful attempts by Ms Redman to file a Code of Conduct complaint with the Ombudsman, claiming Mr Tooley’s behaviour towards council staff and elected members within the chamber was “abusive, abrasive, aggressive and rude”.

Former councillor Ian Tooley claims he was the victim of a witch hunt. Picture: Supplied

In her original letter to the Ombudsman, dated December 1, 2020, Ms Redman claims council passed a resolution at its April 28, 2020 meeting to provide the chamber with a report detailing any options available to “deal with the repeated and sustained behaviour” of Mr Tooley.

The letter goes on to explain that the then-chief executive, Henry Inat, actioned the resolution by engaging Thomson Geer Lawyers to conduct “an independent review and to assess the impacts of Mr Tooley’s behaviours on elected members and employees, from both a conduct, as well as a work, health and safety perspective”.

Mr Cowley confirmed the council paid $28,160 for that review.

Beyond criticising Mr Tooley’s behaviour, the report also claimed he had “adopted an adversarial, oppositional and combative approach to his duties … undertaking what he consider[ed] to be his role, namely to hold the council to account”.

Yet in his response to Ms Redman’s letter for an investigation, the Ombudsman found the Thompson Geer Report, upon which the Mayor’s claims were based, did not constitute an investigation.

Documents obtained by The Advertiser reveal at least three attempts by Ms Redman to file a Code of Conduct complaint with the Ombudsman against Mr Tooley. Picture: Colin James

“The Thompson Geer Report does not purport to substantiate any breaches of the Behavioural Code, but rather collates concerns raised by council members and staff,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman recommended that complaints be formally investigated through the council’s Complaint Handling Procedure, which the council confirmed did not happen.

After Mr Tooley resigned from council – in June 2021 – Ms Redman wrote to the Ombudsman again trying to launch an investigation into his behaviour, claiming the former councillor might seek re-election without consequence.

The Ombudsman disagreed, citing his original concerns over the Thompson Geer Report while also noting Mr Tooley was no longer an elected member and therefore not within the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

Mr Tooley described the Thompson Geer Report as a “witch hunt”.

“In the letters to the Ombudsman by Mayor Redman … you will see me framed as a monster who must be exposed as such,” he said.

“Redman accuses me of all sorts of abhorrent behaviour, quotes the Thompson Geer Report as if it were true, and yet no Code of Conduct formal complaints were ever submitted against me nor were any of her accusations ever the subject of any investigation.

“It blocked all and any input or defence from me, as I was not allowed to participate, was not invited to meet with the Thompson Geer lawyers, and only became aware of the content of the report when it was tabled at the November 2020 confidential council meeting.

Mayor Redman declined to comment when contacted directly.