Councillor banned from contacting colleagues after claims of ‘aggressive’ interactions

A southeast Queensland councillor accused of potential misconduct is seeking advice on whether a ban on her contacting council staff is legal, calling it “gravely concerning”.

Brooke Patterson and Tim Baker at the Gold Coast Economic Health Check Forum in 2023. Picture: Celeste Humphrey

A Gold Coast city councillor has been banned from contacting council staff and accused of potential misconduct for risking their “health and safety” by talking to them “using aggressive language and tone”.

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson has been referred to the official councillor conduct watchdog by council boss Tim Baker and told not to phone him or other staff except in a personal or public safety emergency.

A fuming Cr Patterson says being “muzzled” will stop her doing her job to represent constituents and has written to the state government seeking urgent advice on whether the purported ban is lawful.

It follows a letter from Mr Baker warning her that in his view her “interactions” with council staff “posed both potential and actual health and safety risks”.

He cited examples of the councillor allegedly “using aggressive language and tone with employees” and “making disparaging remarks regarding the city, and particular individuals employed by the city”.

Mr Baker said that as well as “work health and safety risks”, the interactions exposed the council to potential claims.

Council chief executive officer Tim Baker pictured last month. Picture, John Gass

Brooke Patterson. Picture: Portia Large

He said he was required to report the matter to the Office of the Independent Assessor which investigates councillor issues.

Mr Baker told Cr Patterson that she could only provide “day to day administrative direction” to her own staff and non-urgent matters could only be raised in writing with a list of nominated staff.

Cr Patterson is able to contact council bosses by phone only for urgent matters “defined as a matter of personal or public safety”.

The councillor, who has been outspoken on issues including Southport’s chronic homelessness and crime problem, said the communications ban was “gravely concerning”.

“There is a deep passion in our community on a number of matters that affect our local streets and parks,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“If I have represented that passion to city officers in a manner they find unwelcoming, I am happy to address that.

“However, no council officer, city executive nor indeed even the CEO have raised this issue with me. The first I hear is a referral to the OIA threatening a finding of misconduct.

“The communication protocol now issued by the CEO prohibits me from verbally communicating the concerns of my community to any council staff member.

“This is gravely concerning and, I would assert, at odds with democratic representation.

“I am sure voters would expect their elected representative is allowed to go in to bat for them and not be muzzled by senior bureaucrats.

“I am seeking advice from (Attorney-General and Local Government department) directors-general as to whether this directive by the CEO is lawful.”

Cr Patterson took to Facebook on Thursday to vow she would “not be silenced”.

“My duty is to represent my community,” she told her followers.

“I will not be silenced on crime, vagrancy or anti-social behaviour in our streets and in our parks. It is the number one issue holding Southport back.

“I make no apologies for asking staff to be accountable to the community for Council’s performance. I hold myself to that standard and the community are the arbiters every four years. I also hold the CEO and staff to that standard.”

Cr Patterson said she was seeking state government advice “as to whether this attempt to muzzle an elected representative by a senior bureaucrat (on matters where officers appear to not be upholding the standards expected of them by the community) is even legal”.

Originally published as Councillor banned from contacting colleagues after claims of ‘aggressive’ interactions