State watchdog rules on complaint against Gympie councillor

The complaint was made after the councillor made a derogatory comment about a council employee

The OIA has dismissed a complaint made against a Gympie councillor for allegedly referring to another staff member in a derogatroy way.

THE State's local government watchdog has urged a Gympie councillor to think twice in meetings after they were accused of making a derogatory statement about a staff member.

A July complaint made with the Office of the Independent Assessor said the unidentified councillor "referred to a council employee in a derogatory way during council meetings during a time where council executive staff were being dismissed".

The complaint was made against a member of the new council.

The OIA dismissed the complaint on the grounds that taking it further would be "an unjustifiable use of resources".

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"Both the councillor and council employee confirmed that they had been working together over a period of time and the council employee had not taken offence at the comment made about him," the OIA said in its decision.

However, it advised the councillor to "reconsider making such comments in future during council meetings as they may be misinterpreted by others who are not aware of their working relationship".

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