Rockingham council votes to change controversial | Australian Markets

A controversial coverage that allowed City of Rockingham councillors to use ratepayer funds to pursue defamation circumstances has been overturned.

The coverage was first adopted in 2001 and put in place to present a “safer working environment” for council members.

But after a issues discover was raised in 2022, the coverage was introduced back earlier than the council, the place it was hotly contested, handed by six votes versus 5 and readopted.

It allowed councillors to entry metropolis funding to sue for defamation any “a person or organisation lessening the confidence of the community in the local government by publicly making adverse personal comments about council members”.

Community members strongly opposed the coverage, however council paperwork reveal that since its implementation, no purposes have been made for funding.

At the latest May council assembly, Cr Kelly Middlecoat efficiently moved a movement to have the contentious coverage amended.

“Amending the legal representation policy to disallow councillors from accessing ratepayer money to initiate defamation proceedings against residents in my opinion, was critical to rebuilding trust with residents, particularly given the community’s strong opposition to the policy in when it was implemented in 2022,” Cr Middlecoat advised the Sound.

“The former policy did not include a financial limit that could be requested. It also extended to former councillors, a provision which lacks a clear connection to the ongoing governance and responsibilities of the council.

“This level of privilege stands in stark contrast to the support available to front-line workers like police officers and nurses, who do not have access to public funds for personal legal matters arising from their duties.

Cr Middlecoat said that it was a proactive measure as upcoming changes to the Local Government Act would establish new safeguards to prohibit the use of public funds for legal costs.

Ratepayers described the change as a “massive win for the community”.

Cr Loran Buchan welcomed the movement after “failing to stop the changes to the policy” in 2022.

“The reason I spoke out loudly against the policy and the changes is that it is a gross inappropriate use of public funds,” she added.