Local Government watchdog eyes Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

MELBOURNE voters will have to go back to the polls should Robert Doyle resign or be sacked as Melbourne’s Lord Mayor amid the sexual harassment scandal.

MELBOURNE voters will have to go back to the polls should Robert Doyle resign or be sacked as Lord Mayor amid the sexual harassment scandal.

Cr Doyle has stood down for a month, pending the investigation by Ian Freckleton QC into allegations the Lord Mayor sexually harassed and groped fellow councillor and Team Doyle member Tessa Sullivan, allegations Mr Doyle strongly denies.

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The Victorian Electoral Commission has confirmed that a new election would be held to select the Lord Mayor if Cr Doyle vacated his post.

Cr Doyle’s deputy Arron Wood is acting Lord Mayor.

​Ms Sullivan, 34, delivered her resignation and 24-page report to chief executive Ben Rimmer on Friday at 4.30pm.

Mr Rimmer will be brief councillors on the latest developments today.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is taking a month’s leave from Melbourne Health while claims by former councillor Tessa Sullivan are investigated. Picture: David Caird

Ms Sullivan’s council replacement will be decided by electoral countback by the VEC and is expected to deliver former councillor Beverley Pinder-Mortimer a seat back at Town Hall.

Ms Pinder-Mortimer is on personal leave and could not comment.​

Cr Doyle has also stood aside as chairman of Royal Melbourne Hospital.

He will take a month’s leave from his position at Melbourne Health while the claims by Ms Sullivan are investigated.

The Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate has been in contact with the city council over the investigation.

Chief Municipal Inspector David Wolf said: “We are comfortable with their approach in dealing with this matter. If it is deemed appropriate, the matter may be referred to the inspectorate to assess under the Local Government Act.”

It is believed that the watchdog could become involved if a charge of gross misconduct is made against the Lord Mayor.

Cr Doyle has denied “totally abhorrent” allegations by Ms Sullivan that he touched her breast in a car and made a lewd comment to her in a lift.

Greens councillor Cathy Oke has also made a statement in support of Ms Sullivan in regard to a further allegation of harassment.

Former Melbourne councillor Tessa Sullivan. Picture: City of Melbourne

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Sources have told the Herald Sun that, according to that statement, Cr Doyle is alleged to have touched Cr Oke at an evening function in an incident said to have been witnessed by then councillor Stephen Mayne. Mr Mayne declined to comment on Tuesday, except to say that he would let the investigation run its course.

It is believed most of the alleged harassment is said to have occurred in the evening, after alcohol had been served.

Local Government Minister Marlene Kairouz said: “These are extremely serious allegations, and the government fully supports the independent investigation into this matter.”

Councillors will be briefed on the investigation on Tuesday.

Cr Jackie Watts, a long-time critic of Cr Doyle who is on sick leave, was the only councillor to speak publicly on Tuesday, telling 3AW: “We are all shocked and of course Tessa is feeling it greatly.”

A councillor sympathetic to Cr Doyle, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said of Ms Sullivan: “She’s intelligent, she’s strong, and she’s a party animal. I don’t know what her issue is.”

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