A Queensland mayor found guilty of misconduct has blamed “unclear rules”. 

Cloncurry Shire Mayor Greg Campbell copped a $500 fine for failing to declare a personal interest in a $1 million contract for excavation company KJW Contracting to fix flood-damaged roads in 2019.

Cr Campbell used the same company for personal projects in the past, but failed to declare a potential conflict of interest.

The Councillor Conduct Tribunal found Cr Campbell had not been impartial in the decision making process at a council meeting and engaged in “reckless” conduct.

Cr Campbell said he fell foul of incomprehensible processes.

“Contrary to what the tribunal has said, the rules around this are anything but clear,” he said.

“We've had senior people from the local government at a council meeting struggling to agree on how to enforce the rules properly.

“The only way to get around it is to make a really broad, almost disingenuous, declaration for most items at a council meeting to say that you have or may have or potentially could have an interaction with this person or organisation in the future.

“I'm definitely not trying to get out of my responsibility and I believe I always hold myself to a high standard.

“But I was confident that I wasn't impaired in my judgement during that decision.”

He said new measures should be undertaken to make it easier for councillors.

“The entire system needs a calibration,” Cr Campbell said.

The Councillor Conduct Tribunal also referred a “questionable invoice” to the Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland (CCC), which Cr Campbell admitted had been filed as a “favour” to KJW Contracting.

“I will just continue to cooperate with these organisations and see what they want to know,” Cr Campbell said.

“It's also important to note that the $500 fine I think does reflect the low severity of this issue.

“The vast majority of councillors and mayors aim to do the right thing.”