LOCAL GOVT. AND THE BULLYING ISSUE

The Geelong council is at risk of being sacked in the wake of a 100-page report into the council's alleged bullying culture............. The Commission of Inquiry report, delivered on Thursday to local government minister Natalie Hutchins by head commissioner Terry Moran, reportedly highlights the impacts of bullying and other internal conflicts on the ability of the council to govern the city of more than 220,000 people. Commissioners Mr Moran, Jude Munro and Frances O'Brien were appointed to the inquiry by the state government in December in the wake of a damning report into the council's culture by former Australian Human Rights Commissioner Susan Halliday. At the time of its release, Ms Hutchins said the Halliday report "revealed some deep flaws in the Geelong City Council"............. Ms Halliday's culture review found significant concerns relating to conflicts of interest and bullying behaviour by a number of councillors............. A survey of staff found one in four had been bullied and almost a third had witnessed bullying. Identifying the need for "significantly improved conduct" for cultural change to occur, the report cited cases of rude, sexist and aggressive conduct............. Numerous examples were raised of councillors bullying staff and breaching their code of conduct by interfering with their duties............. Current and ex-staff raised fears of reprisal for speaking out, pointing to the likelihood of unfair treatment and further bullying for "rocking the boat"............. A spokeswoman for Ms Hutchins said details of the Commission's report and the state government's response would be made public when the report was tabled in Parliament later this month. "The report was handed to the minister on Thursday and the first opportunity to table it is on April 12," she said............. "The next step does depend on the content; we will be looking to respond as quickly as possible." Victoria's next council general elections are scheduled for October 22. The state government could elect to appoint administrators to Geelong in the meantime, as occurred at Wangaratta in 2013 and Brimbank in 2009............. Fairfax Media contacted all current councillors but only Peter Murrihy, elected at a by-election last October, responded............. "The sooner we all know what is going to happen the better," he said. "This is the lull before the storm at the moment and we're in the same boat as everyone else waiting to see what will happen."............ As the council's future rests on a knife's edge, financial pressures are adding to the squeeze. Mayor Darryn Lyons announced on Friday the council was applying to the Essential Services Commission for a 1 per cent rate rise above the Victorian Government's 2.5 per cent rate cap on Victorian councils. He said the extra revenue was needed to help wind back debt to allow further borrowing to improve infrastructure............. "Without a 3.5 per cent rate rise, there'll be impacts down the track." Cr Lyons, who became mayor in 2013, said he had no comment to make about the Commission of Inquiry report. "I can't comment on a report that hasn't been released."............ Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/geelong-council-at-risk-of-sack-over-damning-report-into-culture-20160402-gnwqs4.html?utm_