Tea Tree Gully Council to take legal action against former mayor Kevin Knight

A controversial former Tea Tree Gully mayor could be banned from running for office for years, with his old council set to launch legal action against him this week.

Tea Tree Gully will seek to have its controversial former mayor banned from running for council for five years in the wake of an explosive Ombudsman’s report into his conduct.

The council will this week lodge documents with the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal asking for the ban for Kevin Knight.

The move comes after Ombudsman Wayne Lines’ investigation into Mr Knight’s conduct was made public last year, with a recommendation legal action be taken.

Under the Local Government Act, upon hearing a complaint SACAT has the power to “disqualify the person from becoming a member of council, a council committee or a subsidiary of a council for a period not exceeding five years”.

If implemented, the ban would result in Mr Knight being unable to contest any by-elections in the next five years, as well as the next local government elections in 2026, meaning the controversial figure may be unable to run until the 2030 election.

Mr Knight lost his bid for a third term as mayor in November’s election.

In a scathing 27-page report, Mr Lines found Mr Knight had breached several codes of conduct between 2018 and 2020 and “engaged in repeated or sustained inappropriate behaviour”.

Tea Tree Gully Council will seek to ban former mayor Kevin Knight from running for council for five years. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Lines highlighted 14 instances of misconduct committed by Mr Knight, including the disclosure of confidential information, and telling an elected member she had been for “plenty of rides with boys”.

The report said Mr Knight had also referred to a council employee of dressing like a “$2 tramp” and that he “hit an employee on her bottom with a rolled-up paper, document or the like”.

“On the basis of the information before me, I am of the view that Mayor Knight’s behaviour, in various forms, has been repeated, the first notable incident occurring in November 2018 and occurring on at least 16 different occasions thereafter,” Mr Lines wrote.

“I am also of the view that Mayor Knight’s inappropriate behaviour was sustained over the course of almost two years …”

South Australian Ombudsman Wayne Lines has recommended Tea Tree Gully Council take legal action against former mayor Kevin Knight. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Investigations and legal action related to Mr Knight’s conduct have cost the council about $84,000.

It is understood the council will be seeking between $10,000 and $15,000 be paid back by Mr Knight.

He was contacted for comment.