FORMER Robe Mayor William Peden has had some of his views on the State Ombudsman’s report into the financial management in 2013 of the Lake Butler marina incorporated into the official record of Robe District Council.
State Ombudsman Wayne Lines made an adverse finding in his 220-page report against the council and its then chief executive Roger Sweetman.
Mr Peden used the public forum section of the April monthly council meeting to read from a prepared statement for several minutes.
He shared the criticisms of Mr Lines of the actions of council and Mr Sweetman.
At its end, Mr Peden asked for his statement to be incorporated into the meeting minutes and this was done by way of a formal motion.
Since the meeting, council has accepted the advice of its lawyers and published an edited version of Mr Peden’s remarks online due to legal requirements.
Mr Peden led the Robe District Council from 2006 to 2010 and then did not seek re-election.
After a break of a few years, Mr Peden submitted a successful application to be an independent member of the council’s Audit Committee in 2013.
With university degrees in law and commerce, Mr Peden has not been a member of the audit committee for a few years but regularly writes to council and attends meetings as a private citizen.
His letters frequently query council policies, decisions and activities.
Meanwhile, further public comment on the State Ombudsman’s report appear as a routine matter in the April monthly minutes through the monthly mayoral report.
Mayor Alison Nunan referred to general council issues before switching to the report by Mr Lines.
“With regard to the recent rumours, emails and texts that have been circulating about the Ombudsman’s Report on the Marina, I would like to say to our community there has been no fraudulent or criminal activity from either Mr Sweetman or the elected members in 2013,” Ms Nunan said.
“There was a breach of the process around procurement and that is what the State Ombudsman has detailed in his findings.
“I find it disappointing at best that some people see conspiracies at every turn, scour the minutes and agendas for errors and accuse elected members and staff of deceitful behaviour.
“The people of Robe are good people, as are their elected members and it is a sad reflection on us all that we are being viewed within the region as serial complainers.
“I seem to be spending a significant amount of time defending our integrity in the wider Limestone Coast community but it has been increasingly difficult of late.
“I sincerely hope the tide is turning and that our community will rally behind Robe District Council and the people they elected when presented with innuendo and gossip.
“I love seeing Robe in the spotlight for all the positive things we do, so I will be aiming for more of that publicity in the future.”
