Council’s ethics committee in turmoil as Labor councillors resign

The Labor half of Brisbane City Council’s ethics committee has resigned, with the deputy chair blaming the LNP Lord Mayor.

Ethic committee deputy chair and Labor councillor Kara Cook

Half of Brisbane City Council’s ethics committee has sensationally resigned, with the deputy chairman accusing Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner of ridiculing councillors.

Deputy chair Kara Cook said she felt she could no longer be on the ethics committee and had resigned, alongside fellow Labor councillors Peter Cumming and Charles Strunk.

“Labor councillors refuse to be on a committee where the mayor of the city, Adrian Schrinner, publicly ridicules and criticises councillors over their voting choices,” Cr Cook said on Monday night.

“There is no recording or transcription and no transparency or natural justice in the ethics committee processes, despite Labor calling for these things.

“They were voted down by the LNP.”

The other half of the committee is comprised of chairman Adam Allan and fellow LNP councillors Tracy Davis and Peter Matic.

Cr Allan said Labor councillors had publicly committed to participating in the bipartisan ethics committee, which “operated in a similar way to State Parliament’s ethics committee”.

“It is a matter for Labor councillors to explain why they no longer wish to participate in this important accountability process,” he said.

“Labor’s members are welcome to rejoin at any time.”

The committee was introduced following legislative changes undertaken by the State Labor Government.

It is responsible for considering the findings and recommendations put forward by the Councillor Conduct Tribunal regarding suspected inappropriate conduct by councillors.