FEELINGS from the bitterly fought 2016 Shoalhaven City Council election continue to be felt.
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After being reported to general manager Russ Pigg for an alleged breach of the code of conduct for statements after last September’s election, former mayor and current councillor Joanna Gash took the floor of council on Tuesday evening to publicly apologise to Cr Greg Watson and his wife Robyn.
The apology came over comments Cr Gash made to the South Coast Register and Radio 2ST after the often vitriolic campaign, in which she labelled Mrs Watson a “hypocrite”.
However, the Watsons have dismissed the apology and refused to accept it, with Cr Watson saying he would again refer the matter for code of conduct review.
At the height of the campaign Gash Must Go brochures were being circulated throughout the city, with Cr Gash labelling a letter of support from Mrs Watson following the election, where she defended her husband and his “treatment” during the election, as “hypocrisy”.
Although she had been offered to make the apology in private, Cr Gash said she wanted to make it publicly so the community would understand what it was about.
“I asked for the report to be made public, however council has determined the full report remain confidential,” Cr Gash said during her apology.
“I have always provided transparency and accountability to our residents both as a former federal member, as mayor and now as a councillor.
“In October last year I made statements in the South Coast Register and on Radio 2ST regarding the city wide Gash Must Go brochure and materials that were distributed in the lead-up to the September 2016 council elections and the thank you flyers distributed by Mrs Watson.
“The South Coast Register absolutely printed my words verbatim. However it was this statement that caused the code of conduct review.”
Cr Gash said following a review of her statements, under council’s code of conduct she had made a mistake and used incorrect words.
“However, due to confidentiality, I was unable to prove why I made these statements,” Cr Gash said.
“My other mistake was I was under the misapprehension that even though Mrs Watson was campaign manager, director and spokesperson for the Shoalhaven Independents Group, under the code Mrs Watson is classified as a member of the public and consequently is protected from comments made by myself as a councillor.
“I had no intention of causing any upset by what I said and I recognised that my statements did not accurately reflect my values and I’m very sorry for having called Mrs Watson a hypocrite.
“I am very sorry for my regrettable words, and I offer this public apology to councillors and Mrs Watson.”
Both Cr Watson and his wife Robyn flatly refused the apology.
“I don’t accept it,” Mrs Watson said.
“She didn’t state what the apology was about.
“The apology was about her insinuating and stating the fact that I authorised the Gash Must Go brochures.
“That’s what the apology was about.
“I don’t accept it at all in any shape or form.
“I’m terribly upset by this. She has destroyed or tried to destroy my character.”
Cr Watson said he would again refer the matter for code of conduct review.
“I think the apology was pretty poor,” Cr Watson said.
“She didn’t apologise to me at all.
“She just apologised to Robyn. And she only mentioned one issue in respect to what she said about Robyn and that was the allegation Robyn was being hypocritical.
“Robyn said her own words but in this situation we have Jo Gash claiming that I admitted I circulated the Gash Must Go brochures.
“I did not admit that. She has not apologised to me and as far as I’m concerned it can go back to the code of conduct reviewer.”
Cr Gash said she took a lot of time and effort to be sincere in her apology.
“I can’t help it if they feel it wasn’t good enough. I don’t know what else I can do,” she said.
“If he’s going to take it to the code of conduct [review], let it be.
“I made a public apology, I can’t do any more.”
How the code of conduct works
Shoalhaven City Council’s code of conduct follows procedures set down by the state government in the Local Government Act.
Written complaints must be made to council under the guidelines of firstly what constitutes a complaint. Things such as timeframes, how recent the complaint needs to be etc.
Complaints are forwarded to council’s general manager who assesses the complaint under guidelines and procedures set down and determines what action should be taken.
The general manager can deal with the matter internally by himself or decide if it should be referred to an independent conduct review.
Council appoints a number of reviewers to its panel every four years and in this case a conduct reviewer was appointed to investigate the matter.
The subject of the allegations is afforded procedural fairness in providing a response to the allegations, either in person or writing.
The reviewer reports back to council findings.
Those findings were considered in a confidential session, as required by procedure, at the council meeting in May.
Council resolved the appropriate action arising from the complaint, as outlined in the procedures, was an apology.