Whitsunday councillor Mike Brunker faces disciplinary action over alleged misuse of council resources

A North Qld councillor has slammed a $20,000 investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct as a mudslinging campaign designed to bring down the government.

Whitsunday Regional Council Councillor Mike Brunker. Picture: Contributed

A former deputy mayor has slammed the investigation into his alleged inappropriate conduct in the wake of the Bogie triple murders as a mudslinging campaign over “simple mistakes”.

The accusations against Whitsunday councillor Mike Brunker came under scrutiny just a fortnight after fellow councillor Jan Clifford was punished, also for inappropriate conduct, after an independent assessor found her behaviour caused a staff member anxiety at work.

Mr Brunker was given a brief opportunity at the ordinary meeting of council on Wednesday to defend allegations he misused council resources, before his peers decided on what disciplinary actions to take, if any.

The misuse reportedly occurred, according to agenda documents, when Mr Brunker without authorisation used his council email address on his candidacy Facebook page during the July to August 2022 by-election period.

The councillors learned Mr Brunker had twice before been warned against using his work email address in such a manner.

Holding his ground against the accusations, Mr Brunker said he had spoken to members of his electorate who felt the whole thing was “a disgrace,” and that it didn’t pass the “pub test.”

He continued, saying he had already apologised for his “simple mistakes.”

He added the allegations against him were frivolous and simplistic, and the CEO had the discretion to dismiss the allegations but had not.

Mr Brunker said he was embarrassed, but felt it was a mudslinging campaign to bring down the government and that the $20,000 fee paid to the independent investigator, PFK Integrity, to look into allegations against him and Ms Clifford was a waste of money – money that could be better spent laying concrete.

Rallying to Mr Brunker’s defence, Councillor John Collins asserted the allegations were “bullsh*t”.

But while many councillors appeared to sympathise with Mr Brunker’s position, Mayor Julie Hall made it clear there was a “rule and we are here to enforce them”.

Councillors discussed PFK Integrity’s report which concluded Mr Brunker had acted inappropriately and that he had offered an apology as mitigation.

Other mitigating factors were Mr Brunker had been “forthcoming” during his interview; that listing the email on his Facebook was “an oversight on his part”; he was acting mayor from July 15 to 20, 2022; that he was an “authorised spokesman” for the council regarding the triple Bogie murders that took place on August 5; and it was “common practice for councillors to use their council email addresses on their councillor Facebook pages”.

Councillors voted in favour of the report’s findings that Mr Brunker had engaged in inappropriate conduct, and decided on disciplinary actions.

Mr Brunker must publicly admit his inappropriate conduct, reimburse the council $500 for costs arising from his conduct, and attend training or counselling to address the conduct.

Read what disciplinary actions were taken against Ms Clifford at the previous council meeting.