Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi has been reported to the local government standards panel for allowing ally Janet Davidson to steal fellow councillor Jemma Green’s thunder over a vote on a media gag.

Cr Green had put forward a notice of motion before the September 20 meeting which would have paved the way for councillors to offer personal opinions about council policies and decisions to the media.

But Ms Scaffidi directed Cr Davidson to move the motion, allowing her to open and close the debate and restricting Cr Green’s opportunity to respond to any concerns raised by other councillors.

Cr Green was clearly annoyed at the outcome and reported the pair to the panel. According to the council’s standing orders, Ms Scaffidi should only have allowed Cr Davidson to move the motion if Cr Green had consented in writing.

Cr Davidson described it as a “pro forma” motion, saying that gave her the right to butt in, but the term doesn’t appear in the standing orders. When the Voice asked her to explain the term she replied: “I have no comment to make.”

Ms Scaffidi has another outstanding complaint against her at the standards panel, stemming from a successful motion of no confidence she allowed Cr Davidson to raise against deputy mayor James Limnios in May.

The lord mayor allowed it as an item of urgent business, although standing orders says that should be reserved if the item “cannot await inclusion in the agenda for the next meeting” or if “the delay …. could have adverse legal financial implications for the city”.

stories by DAVID BELL