‘Unfit for public office’: Investigation reveals chaotic infighting behind Coomalie Council dismissal
‘Verbal bulldozing’ and ‘offensive emails’: A report into the Coomalie Council has detailed the personal beefs, conflicts of interest, and inappropriate behaviour that led to all of its members being dismissed.
A damning investigation into the Coomalie council has detailed the personal beefs, conflicts of interest, and inappropriate behaviour that led to all its members being dismissed.
The report found president Sharon Beswick and Councillor Stephen Noble were “not fit for public office”, providing examples including “highly derogatory” comments made about council staff, “verbal bulldozing” in meetings, “offensive and insulting” emails sent to residents, and continued breaches of the code of conduct – even when suspended.
Other councillors were also accused of breaching the code of conduct, and failing to properly understand their roles and responsibilities.
The Northern Territory government intervened to officially dissolve the Coomalie Community Government Council on May 23, following the organisation’s suspension in July last year.
A previously unpublished independent investigation into the council – which covers Top End rural communities including Adelaide River, Batchelor and Lake Bennett – has been released this week.
Report author Cathryn Hutton uncovered “systemic issues” that hindered the council from doing its job, and criticised elected members’ “inability to function in the best interests of their community”.
No criminal wrongdoing was suggested.
The report found Ms Beswick and Mr Noble did not declare a conflict of interest in relation to the toilet block and Myrtle Park redevelopment in Adelaide River, and Ms Beswick did not declare a conflict of interest in relation to hiring a bus for “community shopping”.
Ms Beswick owns the Adelaide River General Store and Post Office, and employs Mr Noble.
As the bus service stops at the toilet block and is serviced by the shop, the report found improvements to the toilet and park “could be seen to provide direct financial benefit”.
The report highlighted “strong factions” and “deep divisions” between members, with examples of procedural motions being voted against with no apparent reason but to annoy.
“Voting patterns for several decisions appeared to be driven by a desire to frustrate and oppose other elected members rather than the outcome of careful consideration,” Ms Hutton wrote.
Ms Hutton said audio of the council meetings offered several examples of Ms Beswick “calling the meeting to order” as a way to suppress discussion, frequently interrupting and shutting down discussion, and frequently targeting specific councillors with inappropriate personal comments”.
The report also showed the council’s dirty laundry being aired publicly.
This included a deteriorating relationship between Ms Beswick and the chief executive, “with the president repeatedly and publicly expressing displeasure with the CEO and questioning the CEO’s integrity and competence”.
Some reports came after the council was suspended last year, including Mr Noble “sending offensive and insulting emails to residents regarding the activities of the official manager”; and conversations between Ms Beswick and Mr Noble that were “highly derogatory of council staff (CEO), official manager and other suspended councillors”.
“Whilst outside the scope of this report, the behaviour of some elected members (Sharon Beswick and Stephen Noble) during their suspension is in direct violation of the code of conduct and suggests that they are unable to fully understand their responsibilities as elected members,” the report said.
“The persistence of this behaviour and the individuals’ inability to see its consequences suggest they are not fit to hold public office.”
In a Facebook post Ms Beswick characterised Ms Hutton’s report as “hearsay”.
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Originally published as ‘Unfit for public office’: Investigation reveals chaotic infighting behind Coomalie Council dismissal
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