Tasmanian council erupts into chaos following conflict of interest concern
Clarence Alderman Brendan Blomeley stood from his seat and began shouting after a fellow alderman confused two Greek surnames while calling out a potential conflict of interest. WATCH HERE >>
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A TASMANIAN council meeting erupted into chaos on Wednesday night following a conflict of interest concern raised by an alderman.
At the Clarence City Council’s Special Planning Meeting to consider the Draft Clarence Local Provisions Schedule, debate was underway concerning an application to rezone land in central Lauderdale.
Alderman Beth Warren called a point of order, concerned that Alderman Brendan Blomeley may have a potential conflict of interest due to his close friendship with City of Hobart Alderman Simon Behrakis, whose family Ald Warren believed to be the landowners.
The action caused Ald Blomeley to stand up, shouting, “How dare you!”
“It’s a different name, what a joke!”
Mayor Doug Chipman interjected, asking Ald Blomeley to sit down and stop interrupting him.
“Alderman Blomeley if you keep interrupting me I’ll have to ask you to apologise or leave — would you let me handle the issue?” Ald Chipman said.
“Alderman Warren, it is up to individual alderman to declare an interest or not — it is not in our purview to question whether another alderman has a conflict of interest.”
Alderman Blomeley the surname of the landowners in question was Lambrakis, not Berhakis.
“My mistake,” Ald Warren said.
Ald Blomeley called the mistake “absolutely disgusting”, likening the error to one made by Greens leader Cassy O’Connor, who mistakenly mixed up the names of two individuals of Chinese descent.
“I ask for an apology Mr Mayor,” he said.
Ald Warren said she unreservedly apologised for the mistake.
“As you should,” Ald Blomeley said.
“But I just think we have to be careful about these matters,” Ald Warren said.
Ald Chipman asked for Ald Blomeley to restore decorum.
“You had a right to call a point of order but there’s no justification for shouting and yelling,” he said.
“We’ll deal with it logically, calmly and professionally.”
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