State legal clout may remove Lord Mayor Robert Doyle amid sexual harassment allegations

THE state government may have to be called in to remove Robert Doyle from his Lord Mayor post, should the Melbourne City Council’s chief executive want to sack him.

STATE legal clout may have to be called in to remove Robert Doyle from his Lord Mayor post should the Melbourne City Council’s chief executive want to sack him.

Town Hall CEO Ben Rimmer does not have the power to remove a sitting mayor, according to legal sources. Local Government Minister Marlene Kairouz has the capacity to temporarily stand down a councillor while an application of serious or gross misconduct is being assessed.

SULLIVAN-DOYLE TEXTS REVEALED

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Cr Doyle is on leave while he is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of former councillor and Team Doyle member Tessa Sullivan, who resigned last month.

Ms Sullivan’s 24-page dossier of claims, including indecent assault and crude remarks, is now the subject of an investigation by Ian Freckelton, QC, who is expected to report back to the council later this month.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle with Tessa Sullivan, who accused him of sexual harassment. Picture: David Caird

Dr Ian Freckelton’s report is expected later this month. Pic: John Grainger

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is fighting to restore his reputation. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Cr Doyle is vigorously defending the allegations and hopes to restore his position and reputation.

Any application to remove him would have to be made based on a finding of serious or gross misconduct.

If the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal makes a finding of gross misconduct against a councillor, it may order to disqualify the councillor for a period specified by VCAT.
A new election would have to take place to elect a lord mayor, but not the deputy position currently held by Arron Wood who is Acting Lord Mayor in Cr Doyle’s absence.

Tessa Sullivan at the Bangkok International Film Festival in 2009. Pic: Getty Images

Tessa Sullivan at Melbourne Town Hall. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Ms Sullivan’s replacement is to be decided on Monday in a vote countback by the Victorian Electoral Commission. She was elected in October 2016, the third member on the Team Doyle ticket.

If Cr Doyle survives the sexual harassment investigation then Greens councillor Cathy Oke, also named in documents as an alleged ­victim, could resign, creating another vacancy.

LORD MAYOR STANDS DOWN

It comes after this week’s mysterious twist that revealed Ms Sullivan registered the trading name “Tessa Doyle” on her ABN in 2007.

Ms Sullivan has also been known as Tessa James Jean while working as a TV presenter and aspiring actor around 2009.

Cr Doyle, Cr Oke and Ms Sullivan were approached for comment but did not respond.

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@IanRoyall