Port Pirie Mayor John Rohde had legal advice that disclosing his relationship with online lover would invite ‘unnecessary scrutiny’
THE regional mayor who met up with his online girlfriend while on ratepayer-funded overseas trips was told publicly disclosing the issue would invite “unnecessary scrutiny”, leaked documents show.
THE regional mayor who met up with his online girlfriend while on ratepayer-funded overseas trips was told publicly disclosing the issue would invite “unnecessary scrutiny”, leaked documents show.
The Advertiser revealed on Tuesday how Port Pirie Mayor John Rohde, 52, flew to the Philippines in April and May 2016 on separate trade missions, costing the council almost $3500.
During the initial trip, Mr Rohde — a former Labor candidate for the seat of Frome — met his 45-year-old girlfriend Bita in person for the first time, months after their online relationship began.
She subsequently accompanied him to an official Australian embassy function and trade dinner on the second visit six weeks later — a State Government-led delegation on which Mr Rohde was the only local government official.
While at the dinner, hosted by Australia’s ambassador Amanda Gorely at the Makati Shangri-La hotel in the capital Manila, Bita was photographed sitting next to the Department of State Development’s former South East Asia director, Michael Guerin.
Bita revealed the trips to councillors after Mr Rohde is said to have ended the long-distance relationship.
The council has never before sent officials to the Philippines nor expressed prior interest in the region.
Some councillors’ concerns about “inappropriate spending” had caused internal council angst.
Council chief executive Andrew Johnson launched an investigation at the request of Mr Rohde — a former postman, who also stood for the Senate as an independent after resigning from the Labor Party in 2013.
During that review — the conclusions of which have never been published — the mayor sought legal advice about whether “this matter was of a public or privatenature”.
In his advice, lawyer Michael Kelledy, of Kelledy Jones, wrote the “allegations made against you are of a personal nature and pertain to your personal life, separate to your role and functions as the principal member of the council”.
He said the email, sent by Bita three weeks after the relationship ended, did not “create any exposure” for the council — and his conclusions were supported by a “highly respected expert media adviser”.
“Further … there is no requirement to make a public statement or to put into the public domain the statement that I have provided to you,” he wrote.
“To make any public statement is to invite unnecessary scrutiny, to risk inappropriate and uninformed speculation of a connection between your personal life and your public functions of office.
“And, generally (it would) give ‘oxygen’ to a matter that, as evidenced by the (lack of) responses/reactions of Fairfax, The Advertiser, the (Port Pirie) Recorder and ABC local radio, is not a matter of public interest.”
He added: “It behoves you and the council to try and not make it a matter of public interest when legal and expert media advice is that it is not.”
Mr Kelledy said that if it was publicly revealed, the mayor could respond accordingly.
“At this point, I am unable to see how it could become a relevant matter of public interest given there is no connection with the performance of the functions of your office,” he added.
Mr Rohde did not return calls on Wednesday.
He has previously refused to answer a series of written questions including why he did not publicly disclose the issue.
“All proper and relevant issues have been the subject of a full review commissioned by council which quite properly determined no wrongdoing,” read a statement issued through another lawyer, Greg Griffin. “The further line of questioning ... is irrelevant and will not be responded to.”
The internal review found the council paid $3446.73 for the two sets of return flights to The Philippines but no other personal spending was uncovered.
Mr Rohde, a first term mayor since November 2014, paid for all other costs including accommodation.
Local Government Minister Geoff Brock said he expected all councils to adhere to “high standards of transparency and accountability”.
“If any person is of the view that a council has not met these standards, or that a council member has behaved improperly, they can consider making a complaint to the Ombudsman or the Office of Public Integrity,” Mr Brock said.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Dr Johnson said a copy of the review was circulated to elected members in December.
“Council has not formally received and considered the review at a council meeting and therefore, the review process has not formally concluded. It is a document for public disclosure and it is appropriate that the findings in relation to the proper use of public funds be made public at the conclusion of the process,” he said.
The Local Government Association declined to comment.