Ipswich councillor Andrew Antoniolli’s alleged misconduct inquiry costs ratepayers $18,000

Ipswich ratepayers have shelled out more than $18,000 to investigate an alleged breach of conduct by councillor Andrew Antoniolli that left council staff “distressed”.

Andrew Antoniolli at the Catalyst Church. Picture: Adam Head

Ipswich ratepayers have shelled out more than $18,000 to investigate an alleged breach of conduct by a former mayor after a series of comments to media reportedly left council staff “distressed”.

Cr Andrew Antoniolli, who served as the city’s mayor between 2017 and 2018, was quoted in local media last October criticising council organisers of a Dinosaur Discovery family event in the city’s recently revamped Nicholas St Precinct.

His issue was over food trucks being invited to the event, taking away business from venues in permanently in the precinct.

He said the precinct’s leasing and events team as “not getting it right”.

“Council continues to overpromise and underdeliver. We must devise a better strategy because the existing approach of using food vans is not helping traders who have signed leases and then must pay exorbitant rents to be there,” he told a journalist.

“I am left scratching my head and wondering if anybody knows how to promote the precinct; it’s like knocking your head against the brick wall.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result.”

Former Ipswich Mayor Andrew Antoniolli. Picture: Adam Head

The council spent nearly $19,000 on investigations, which included consultation by human resources firm Workplace Edge.

A summary report tabled in Thursday’s general council meeting, prepared by the firm, said Mr Antoniolli’s comments were derogatory to staff and diminished council’s standing, authority or dignity.

According to the report, council CEO Sonia Cooper was approached staff expressing their disappointment and spent considerable time speaking and consoling members of the teams criticised by Mr Antoniolli.

“Managers and staff in council areas that were mentioned in the quotes attributed to Mr Antoniolli were upset, and in some cases distressed from the quotes,” the report said.

Ms Cooper referred his comments to the Office of the independent Assessor, which has not made any findings in relation to the matter.

According to the report, Mr Antoniolli sent an email to Ms Cooper saying the decision to refer the conduct to the OIA was “disappointing”.

“Comments were not aimed at staff members but the administration,” he wrote.

“If only your concerns were for the mum and dad businesses that are suffering.”

Ipswich City Council CEO Sonia Cooper.

The report also said the email was “disrespectful” to both Ms Cooper and council administration.

The former mayor was convicted of fraud before being cleared on appeal and returning as a councillor in the latest term.

Councillors were initially expected to vote on whether Mr Antoniolli’s comments were a breach of conduct however some asked for more time as the report and other documentation had only been sent to them the night before.

The council unanimously decided to adjourn the matter to April.

Mr Antoniolli and Ms Cooper both declined to comment.

The OIA was approached for comment.