Golden Plains councillor Les Rowe calls for mayor Brett Cunningham to step down

A social media post denouncing a councillor has a local mayor in hot water, with a colleague calling on him to step aside for the sake of the community.

Fired up: Outgoing Golden Plains councillor Les Rowe.

A slanging match has broken out among warring local councillors, with one lashing out at the mayor and the “toxic environment” he has allegedly created.

As ballot packs start to hit letterboxes this week, outgoing Golden Plains councillor Les Rowe has called on the shire’s mayor Brett Cunningham to abandon his re-election bid.

In an email to the shire’s hierarchy on Tuesday, Mr Rowe slammed Mr Cunningham over a social media post that attacked a fellow councillor.

In the lengthy Friday post, Mr Cunningham accused Owen Sharkey of not attending council meetings, as well as falling asleep during a conference that cost ratepayers $1040 a head.

Mr Cunningham apologised on Monday for what he described as an “error of judgement during the election period”.

Golden Plains Mayor Brett Cunningham.

But Mr Rowe was having none of it, saying he felt “compelled” to call out Mr Cunningham’s behaviour and his “so-called apology”.

“It’s evident that your apology was more about the backlash from negative comments than a genuine recognition of your actions,” Mr Rowe wrote in the email, which the Addy has seen.

“For the sake of Golden Plains Shire and the next councillor group, I believe it is in everyone’s best interest for you to remove yourself from this election and stand down.

“Only then can we work towards building a more harmonious and peaceful environment in alignment with our council’s vision.”

Mr Rowe, a councillor since 2016, said he was “relieved” not to be standing for re-election.

“The toxic environment fostered at the start of this council term was appalling,” he said.

Golden Plain Shire councillor Owen Sharkey

“Based on your current behaviour, it seems you are setting the stage for a similarly toxic environment in the next term.

“Mr Mayor, you must hold yourself to the same high standards you expect from others.

“As the saying goes, ‘live by the sword, die by the sword.’”

The pair have a chequered history.

Mr Rowe was handed a one-month suspension last year for making comments critical of council staff after Mr Cunningham alleged his comments to a reporter caused a number of employees to be “visibly upset.”

According to the arbiter’s report, Mr Cunningham also alleged Mr Rowe’s comments were “incorrect and misleading”.

Mr Rowe said at the time his intention was not to criticise and state the facts, while also claiming to be distracted while driving his tractor.

Mr Cunningham would not say whether he stood by his comments about Mr Sharkey, but said he deleted the post due to the “language of some of the comments”.

“The recent media post was a personal statement made as a candidate in the current council elections and not in my capacity as the mayor of the Golden Plains Shire,” he said.

Mr Sharkey said he has missed some meetings due to having a full time job and a young family.

He vehemently denied falling asleep at the conference, claiming he often closed his eyes in meetings due to tinnitus.

Mr Sharkey said he was disappointed to have been “personal attacked” by Mr Cunningham.

“We should go the ball, not the man,” he said.

“Argue the issue, but when you’re getting down to personal levels, it shouldn’t happen.

“I’d rather be talking about what we’re going to do to fix roads, council issues.”

Originally published as Golden Plains councillor Les Rowe calls for mayor Brett Cunningham to step down