Mike Kent, Mayoral candidate, wants inquiry into bullying claims

Mayoral candidate Mike Kent wants an urgent inquiry into allegations of bullying of councilors and threats of legal reprisals against a Glamorgan Spring Bay community newsletter that has raised the bullying issue.

Mr Kent, says a number of matters within the east coast community has brought him out of retirement to contest the mayoral position in the October local government elections.

He says a priority matter that needs attention is a rift between the council executive and the Great Oyster Bay Community News.

“Management of the newsletter is asking for ‘support and assistance’,” Mr Kent said.

“An email in circulation is tantamount to an SOS, a message in a bottle.”

“I have contacted senior management today and asked it to put a hold on any resignations, pending some form of appropriate inquiry into the real threat of legal action by council against this important community newsletter,” Mr Kent said.

Mike Kent said he is a regular reader of the newsletter that keeps him in touch with all issues within the municipality.

“Bullying allegations against council should be aired, as a tell-tale that something is wrong at the top end of administration,” Mr Kent said.

“Threats of legal action against the newsletter suggests most definitely there is something wrong at the top.”

Mr Kent said the newsletter has raised other issues including council expenditure on the Solis golf course and the effects of seaweed dumps on business in the community.

“Council seems to take personal offence at the issues raised in the public interest.”

“If elected as mayor, I will take immediate steps to apprise council of the role of a newspaper in the community. To ensure it remains as an independent voice of its readership. To ensure council plays no role in bullying that voice into silence.”

On another issue, Mike Kent has already been in contact with the Niche Planning Studio, a Melbourne and Tasmanian-based planning firm that recently devised a long-term outlook for the Greater Launceston region.

“One of my first jobs as mayor will be to look a wholesale outlook on sensitive development and jobs for this region well into the future.”

“Another major issue that I will be giving priority to will be matters related to independent auditing of council,” he said.

“The present arrangement to me is not satisfactory. Ratepayers expect professional, independent scrutiny of the books.”

“I am not suggesting anything untoward with the present status-quo, but I think we need to be far more transparent,” Mr Kent said.
Mike Kent Mayoral candidate Glamorgan Spring Bay