Councillors vote on Deputy Mayor Donna Gates after complaints made against her regarding Black Swan Lake

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates has strongly denied that she had attempted to trivialise allegations against council and an investigation by the Office of the independent Assessor after comments she made about Black Swan Lake complaints.

DEPUTY Mayor Donna Gates has strongly denied that she had attempted to trivialise allegations against council and an investigation by the Office of the independent Assessor.

Councillors at a full council meeting late yesterday debated a recommendation in an officer’s report that no action be taken against Cr Gates after she was accused of inappropriate conduct.

The Office of the independent Assessor had received two separate complaints after Cr Gates at a media interview on January 15 was asked about the high number of investigations on the Black Swan Lake being dismissed.

Gold Coast Deputy Mayor and Councillor Donna Gates. Picture: Jerad Williams

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The Deputy Mayor after taking advice from a council media officer said most of the complaints about the so-called “borrow pit” had been “frivolous”.

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Speaking for the first time yesterday about the accusation, she told colleagues she had been Acting Mayor and attending a media conference about green wastes when asked her opinion of the flood of complaints with the OIA.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates talks with Cameron Caldwell. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I had not personally seen the complaints — it was suggested 37 had been lodged — so I sought guidance from the media adviser to the Mayor who stated most had been dismissed as frivolous,” Cr Gates said. “My comments were not malicious — I simply repeated the suggested statement, in good faith.

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“I was not engaging in free speech — I thought I was telling the truth and providing a factual response.

“At no time did I seek to trivialise the allegations — nor indeed the investigations of the Office of the independent Assessor. I believed I was making an honest statement in line with the advice I’d been provided.”

Cr Gates left the meeting, as the issue was being discussed, after 6pm yesterday. Palm Beach-based councillor Daphne McDonald also decided to leave and did not vote.

Councillors unanimously supported the officer’s recommendation, that it was not inappropriate conduct.