Mornington Peninsula councillors to detail training expenses in Victorian first
Mornington Peninsula council will overhaul its reporting of expenses amid claims of “networking for personal gain”. Not all were on board. See the vote.
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A Melbourne council has taken a drastic step to stop councillors from “flying under the radar” on expense claims.
In a Victorian first, Mornington Peninsula councillors will be required to publicly reveal exactly how they spend their training allowances.
The change was prompted after Leader revealed three councillors planned to claim $1800 of five star accommodation for an upcoming conference to be held just minutes from their own homes.
Following the revelation former mayor Anthony Marsh called for the changes to ensure councillor’s use of public money could be “regularly scrutinised”.
Councillors on Tuesday voted by seven votes to two in favour of the plan that would force them to itemise all training expense claims including “adds ons” such as dinners, social activities and accommodation.
Currently only claims for conferences and training above $2000 have to be approved by the council in a meeting open to the public.
Smaller claims are listed on the council website but none are itemised.
The Local Government Act does not require councillors to itemise expenses.
However, Cr Marsh said the shire “needed to do better” and disclose more detail about the spending.
“It’s simple – if you’re uncomfortable revealing how you spend ratepayer money, don’t spend it,’ he said.
Cr Susan Bissinger backed the plan saying it would “fix a recent problem we had where councillors opted to stay overnight at a nearby resort”.
She revealed that the incident had sparked an “internal witch hunt” that included a “threatening email” insisting the person responsible for the “leak” come forward.
“Calling this is a leak is incorrect when this information should be easily accessible to ratepayers – after all it’s their money,” she said.
Cr Bissinger supported training that directly supported and benefited the community but drew the line at “vague, skill building seminars”.
“I also have a problem with networking for personal gain, especially when the people doing it are using ratepayers funds to possibly use council as a stepping stone to other things.”
Two of the three councillors – Antonella Celi and Despi O’Connor – who accepted rooms at RACV Cape Schanck Resort for the upcoming Australian Local Government Women’s Association conference – voted against the policy.
The third, Sarah Race, was not present at the meeting.
Cr O’Connor feared the extra scrutiny would discourage people from claiming their entitlements and make the role of councillor “unaffordable and out of reach” for many people.
Cr Celi said council policy should not be formed “on the run” and asked councillors to vote against the plan.
“There’s no embarrassment for me around this council table, I’m all for transparency,” she said.
“If we’re going to be transparent we need to hinge the intent of this … though the proper council process.”
The Local Government Inspectorate conducted a review of councillor expenses in 2020 and
made several recommendations including asking for councillor expenses data to be published on council websites every quarter.
There was no recommendation for expenses to be individually itemised.
What can councillors claim?
Mornington Peninsula councillors can claim up to $16,000 for training, conferences and seminars over a four-year term.
The mayor can claim an extra $3500.
Cr Marsh acknowledged he was the “most expensive” councillor having spent $7754 on conferences and training.
However, he said all his claims have been detailed and approved in open council meetings.
To date, shire councillors have spent a total of $36,451 on conferences and training.
Cr Race has spent $6237, Cr Celi has claimed $5122 and Cr O’Connor has spent $3767.
Former councillor Kerri McCafferty claimed $8106 before resigning at the end of 2022.
Since the current council was elected more than $1 million has been spent on council allowances, superannuation, mileage, parking and travel, training and conferences, childcare, information and communications and printing and stationery.