Suspension threat for Fraser mayor
Queensland Local Government Minister Mark Furner has given Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor Chris Loft seven days to show why he should not be suspended.
Mr Furner issued Councillor Loft with a notice of his intention to exercise his suspension power under the Local Government Act this week.
“Cr Loft has been the subject of repeated findings of inappropriate conduct and misconduct during his tenure as Mayor and he has also continuously breached the local government principles enshrined in the act,” Mr Furner said.
“It is necessary to uphold the importance of these principles in relation to appropriate behaviour and to protect the public through general deterrence of other councillors, maintaining the high standard expected by the community.”
Cr Loft was arrested and charged by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) for misconduct and computer hacking less than a week before Mr Furner made the call.
The CCC alleges that the offences happened while Cr Loft was Mayor.
Mr Furner says the suspension warning is not related to those charges.
Cr Loft will remain as Mayor “until the Minister makes a determination”, according to a council statement.
“The notice from the Minister follows the arrest of the Mayor last week, and out of respect for the Mayor and the judicial process, the Fraser Coast Regional Council will not making statements that speculate about the Mayor's future,” the statement said.