Stonnington mayor Adrian Stubbs anger at Liberal MP’s ‘endorsement’ on campaign website

AN INNER-CITY mayor will order a Liberal MP to remove an endorsement off his campaign website because he didn’t give permission for it to be used.

Photo: Janine eastgate Stonnington's new mayor Adrian Stubbs

AN INNER-CITY mayor will order a Liberal MP to remove an endorsement off the member’s campaign website after he didn’t give permission for it to be used.

Stonnington Mayor Adrian Stubbs is quoted on Prahran state Liberal MP Clem Newton-Brown’s website, under the “Community Endorsements” section, despite the Mayor saying he was never asked nor advised of the endorsement.

Cr Stubbs said the endorsement was “news to me” and would be asking Mr Newton-Brown to remove it.

“I will be asking him to take it down,” Cr Stubbs said.

“Having read what’s there I don’t see what’s endorsing him at all. It’s not an endorsement of him.”

When asked if he was aligned to the Liberal party, Cr Stubbs said he was an independent councillor.

The “endorsement that has offended Adrian Stubbs.

The so-called endorsement by Cr Stubbs reads: “The introduction of these new ‘Residential Zones’ in the Stonnington Planning Scheme will provide a greater level of clarity and certainty to the community and developers about what type of development is appropriate in our City. These new zones represent a balanced outcome that ensures the ability to both protect and enhance our City for the benefit of current and future generations.”

When contacted by the Leader, Mr Newton-Brown declined to answer questions over the phone, instead opting to answer by email.

Mr Newton-Brown said “various people” in the community had endorsed him.

“Personal letters of endorsement have been sought for the purposes of informing the community on my website what has been achieved,” Mr Newton-Brown said.

“Public statements that are in press releases and published documents have also been quoted.”

MP Clem Newton-Brown.

He said the statement by Cr Stubbs was a quote he made publicly to another media organisation earlier this year in support of the new residential zones.

“I welcome his (Cr Stubbs’) support for the new zones, but if the Mayor does not wish this public statement to be republished on my website then I am happy to remove it,” he said.

Toorak Primary School principal Julie Manallack, who is also quoted under Mr Newton-Brown’s “Community Endorsements” section, said her permission was sought prior to the statements being listed on the website.

“Clem does a lot for our school,” Mrs Manallack said.

“We have a very close association with Clem and his office staff.”

When asked if she was happy to be listed as an endorser of Mr Newton-Brown and if she was aligned to the Liberal Party, she said schools were “not allowed” to be aligned with any party.

She said Labor and Liberal had been “equally as involved” with the school in past years, depending on who was in government.

“The local member approaches the school, we don’t approach them,” Mrs Manallack said.