City of Perth (2018–2020)

The council of the City of Perth was suspended from 2018 to 2020 due to issues arising from councillor's behaviour.

Beginning on 2 March 2018, the council was managed by a panel of three Commissioners appointed by the Government of Western Australia, pending the results of a thrice-extended two-year inquiry into the activities of the suspended council.[1][2][3] The report containing 250 findings and 341 recommendations, including suspected criminal behavior involving 23 individuals was released to the West Australian Parliament in August 2020. However, no single prosecution resulted. Police charged a councillor and his family with various offences but the charges were subsequently dropped. No apology or retraction was ever issued by authorities, despite the signal failure of the widely publicised "referrals" to result in further action.[4]

The elected City of Perth comprises eight councillors elected proportionally, with no divisions into wards. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. Elections are held every two years on the third Saturday in October, with four councillors elected for a four-year term at each election. The Lord Mayor is directly elected for a four-year term, with the Deputy Lord Mayor elected for one year by the councillors at the first meeting of the council.[5]

Council composition (at time of suspension)

The Lord Mayor was elected in October 2015 and, pending the results of the public inquiry, all Councillors' terms expired in October 2019. The makeup of the council at the time of its suspension, in order of election and term, is as follows:[5]

SeatCouncillorPartyNotes
Lord Mayor[6]   Lisa Scaffidi Independent First female Lord Mayor of Perth
2015–2019[6]   Janet Davidson Independent
  Jim Adamos Independent
  Jemma Green Independent Deputy Lord Mayor 2017–[7]
  Lily Chen Independent
2017–2021[8]   Steve Hasluck Independent
  James Limnios Independent Deputy Lord Mayor 2015–2017[9]
  Lexi Barton Independent
  Reece Harley Independent

Commissioner-led council
CommissionerTermNotes
Chair CommissionerEric Lumsden2 March 2018 – 9 August 2019Chairperson of the Western Australian Planning Commission.[10][1]
Andrew Hammond9 August 2019 – 19 October 2020Commissioner 2018–2019. Former chief executive officer, City of Rockingham.[10][1][11]
Deputy Chair CommissionerGaye McMath2 March 2018 – 19 October 2020Former executive director, Perth Education City.[10][1]
CommissionerLen Kosova9 August 2019 – 19 October 2020Former chief executive officer, City of Vincent.
CEOTermNotes
Martin Mileham1 September 2016 – 29 October 2018[12][13][14][15]
Murray Jorgensen OAM JP (acting)13 November 2018 – 4 August 2020[16]
Michelle Reynolds 4 August 2020 – 19 October 2020 [17]

2020 elections

Elections for new councillors and a new Lord Mayor following the suspension of the existing councillors were held on 17 October 2020.[18] Six candidates nominated for the position of Lord Mayor. They were media personality Basil Zempilas, retired magistrate Tim Schwass, former Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist Di Bain, TV reporter Mark Gibson, startup community entrepreneur Brodie McCulloch and architect Sandy Anghie.[19] Two candidates for the position of Lord Mayor also nominated as Council Candidates, Di Bain and Sandy Angie.[20]

Homelessness, governance, reinvigorating retail spaces and creating a sustainable city are key platforms on which candidates are campaigning on.[21]

Zempilas has faced public scrutiny over his potential conflicts of interests after radio interviews by Russell Woolf on ABC Radio and Gareth Parker on Radio 6PR.[22]Bain released a list of potential conflicts in the City of Perth connected to her or her husband amounting to $95.75 million, including a private equity firm that owns a suite of buildings in the CBD.[23] McCulloch's company Spacecubed has refused a $15,000 City of Perth economic development grant awarded before his campaign announcement citing it as an example of strong governance and decision making.[24]

Zempilas was elected Lord Mayor with 29.44% of the popular vote with 41% turnout.[25][26]

References
  1. Hon David Templeman MP (2 March 2018). "City of Perth council suspended, inquiry panel to determine fate" (Media Release). Western Australian Government. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  2. Kagi, Jacob; Shepherd, Briana (3 March 2018). "Perth City Council suspended by Minister David Templeman after years of scandal and infighting". ABC News. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. "Confidence to be returned to ratepayers", Media Release, City of Perth, 9 March 2018
  4. Carmody, James (30 June 2020). "City of Perth inquiry finds council 'dysfunctional and poorly led', criminal charges possible". ABC News.
  5. "Council Elections". City of Perth. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  6. "2015 Ordinary Election Perth Results". Local Government Elections. Western Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  7. Strutt, Jessica (28 October 2017). "New Perth Deputy Lord Mayor Jemma Green plots a new course to Lisa Scaffidi". ABC News. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  8. "2017 Ordinary Election Perth Results". Local Government Elections. Western Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  9. Titelius, Regina (22 October 2015). "James Limnios elected City of Perth's new deputy Lord Mayor". PerthNow. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  10. "Commissioners". City of Perth. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. "Chair Commissioner and new Commissioner appointed". City of Perth. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  12. "Council Sets New Course for City with Appointment of CEO" (Media Release). City of Perth. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  13. Strutt, Jessica (19 February 2018). "City of Perth chief executive Martin Mileham takes indefinite personal leave". ABC News. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  14. Emery, Kate (27 April 2018). "City of Perth's Martin Mileham takes leave as inquiry looms". The West Australian. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  15. Laschon, Eliza (30 October 2018). "Ex-City of Perth CEO Martin Mileham considers legal action after being sacked". ABC News. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  16. "City of Perth appoints CEO" (Media Release). CIty of Perth. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  17. "New City of Perth CEO appointed". www.perth.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  18. Hondros, Nathan (30 January 2020). "At last, City of Perth to pick new mayor, council in October election". WAtoday. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  19. De Kruijff, Peter (7 August 2020). "Designs to lead a new-look city". The West Australian. p. 3.
  20. url=https://www.perth.wa.gov.au/live-and-work/elections/candidate-profiles
  21. Juanola, Marta Pascual (2 August 2020). "How Perth's lord mayor hopefuls plan to tackle one of the city's toughest issues". The Age. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  22. Christian, Brett (8 August 2020). "Basil grilled over conflicts". Post Newspaper. p. 11.
  23. de Kruijff, Peter (29 August 2020). "Lord mayor aspirant Di Bain lists companies she or husband John Poynton are connected to that could give rise to conflicts of interest". The West Australian. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  24. News (8 August 2020). "Candidate refunds City". The West Australian. p. 23. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  25. Warriner, Jessica (17 October 2020). "Radio and TV host Basil Zempilas elected new Perth Lord Mayor". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  26. "Perth Section 4.13 Results (2020 Mayoral Election Results)". Western Australia Electoral Commison. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
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