Golden Plains Shire mayor Sarah Hayden asked to say sorry: ratepayer advocate

A mayor who went on a sanctioned trip to the United States should have taken leave, a ratepayers advocate has said.

Photos of Golden Plain Shire mayor Sarah Hayden's Vegas trip.

A ratepayers advocate has called for the Local Government Minister to act after a mayor went on a sanctioned trip to Las Vegas while on duty.

Council Watch president Dean Hurlston said Golden Plains Shire mayor Sarah Hayden should apologise after failing to take leave before going on and documenting her US trip on social media.

“The mayor should have taken unpaid leave and not posted this kind of garbage on her socials,” he said.

“The mayor should apologise unreservedly.”

Ms Hayden strongly denies any wrongdoing in a media statement, she released after she was contacted by the Geelong Advertiser for comment.

The newspaper revealed on April 12 Ms Hayden was working remotely while on a trip to Las Vegas which was approved by acting chief executive Phil Josipovic.

Photos of her trip were posted to her private social media account, showing Ms Hayden drinking out of glass boobs and referencing being whipped by topless women among others.

These posts were then shared on a community page with some residents voicing concerns about the holiday.

“I acted on advice from the then acting CEO about my ability to work remotely, and I attended all scheduled meetings and was in contact with the interim CEO daily, during that time,” Ms Hayden said in the statement

“At no stage was any council money used to fund any part of this trip.

“The photos and information were obtained without my permission from my private social media account.”

Photos have emerged online of Golden Plains mayor Sarah Hayden’s trip to Las Vegas.

However, Mr Hurlston dismissed the fact the photos were taken from her private account.

“Even though the posts were private, the minister should act here because this was on paid council time,” he said.

“If not, then the government holds an appalling double standard.

“If a male mayor did this, they would have every female councillor demanding their sacking by the minister,” he said.

Readers responded to Ms Hayden’s trip online.

“I’d love to take an overseas trip, get paid and incur no leave penalties by saying I’m working remotely. I don’t think my employer would agree,” one commenter said.

“It is a conservative type role. How can she be taken seriously,” another reader said.

Women in Local Democracy (WILD) convener Jenny Wills, when contacted by the Addy, said Ms Hayden was an outstanding woman.

“You can’t on the one hand be supportive of developing women’s roles in the community and then criticise a mayor in this way,” she said.

When contacted by the paper, Geelong mayoress Paula Kontelj expressed her sympathy for the mayor.

Her husband Stretch has a long history serving on the council, having been mayor from 2001 to 2002 and again after he was elected back in the last council election in 2024.

“Politics is a nasty business, unfortunately not everyone is going to be on your side,” Mrs Kontelj said.

“You might not start out with a thick skin, but you end up with one.”

Originally published as Golden Plains Shire mayor Sarah Hayden asked to say sorry: ratepayer advocate