City Councillor under fire

ABSENCE QUESTIONED: The absence of Cr Kate Amoroso has been questioned at a recent council meeting. Photo: File

Charlotte Varcoe

A QUESTION was raised at this week’s Mount Gambier City Council meeting regarding the continued absence of Cr Kate Amoroso.

An apology was accepted by elected members from Cr Amoroso for the third monthly meeting in a row.

Cr Amoroso has not attended an ordinary Council meeting since March of this year.

Since this time last year, Cr Amoroso has missed three council meetings and four special council meetings including this month’s 2022/23 Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget community feedback forum.

Cr Sonya Mezinec questioned the reasoning behind Cr Amoroso’s absence, asking if it was due to health or other reasons.

Acting chief executive officer Barbara Cernovskis said Cr Amoroso was not away due to ill health as far as she was aware.

Cr Paul Jenner said one of the absences was due to illness.

According to Cr Amoroso, she was instructed by the chief executive officer Sarah Philpott not to attend the May meeting due to being classed as a close contact.

“It was under the instructions of the chief executive officer and was entirely her decision, me not attending the May council meeting,” Cr Amoroso told The Border Watch.

“It was a workplace directive and what is even worse to my knowledge is that all council members were informed as to the explanation.”

Questioning why there was a need to “publicly try and target” her, Cr Amoroso labelled the question during the chamber meeting as “relentless”.

“They [Council] then wonder why people resign,” she said.

“Council is not my only commitment in both my professional and personal life as all the other councillors.

“I do so much in and for this community and the community are incredibly grateful for that and that in my view is who I am accountable to.”

Cr Amoroso also stated she was “sick of feeling” like she was a target in the council chambers, labeling the activities of other elected members as “bullying, intimidation and harassment”.

She also questioned why it was only her absence which was questioned during this week’s meeting and not others.

“I got elected by the people of Mount Gambier and as hard as it has been and continues to be I intend to honour that and see our my term,” she said.

“Some of the behaviour and language that goes on in and around that chamber is, in my opinion, beyond embarrassing and I am sick of just standing by and putting up with it so this time I have decided to speak out.”

Cr Amoroso also stated she had offered to make herself available to join via electronic means when she could not be in attendance during meetings.

She also said for this week’s meeting she had taken leave from all of her workplaces and study due to being away.

Mayor Lynette Martin, chief executive officer Sarah Philpott and Cr Christian Greco were also apologies for the June meeting, with Ms Martin and Ms Philpott being in attendance of the 2022 Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Canberra.