2021-10-18 General Committee Meeting Minutes

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES                                                       18 OCTOBER 2021




5   ITEMS REFERRED FROM COMMITTEES

    PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

    1     CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE PLAN COMMUNITY REFERENCE GROUP –
          EXPRESSION OF INTEREST OUTCOME
    In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Lorentson provided the following
    declaration to the meeting of a declarable conflict of interest in this matter:
    I, Cr Lorentson, inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter as my
    brother, Gabriel Cerasani is a member of the executive committee of the Eastern Beaches Protection
    Association Inc. During my election campaign my brother helped me with my campaign, handed out
    voting cards and two of my election signs were outside his property on David Low Way. The Eastern
    Beaches Protection Association have nominated a representative to be a member of the Climate
    Change Response Plan Community Reference Group. I believe I can consider this matter impartially
    and in the public interest. Therefore, I will choose to remain in the meeting room. However, I will respect
    the decision of the meeting on whether I can remain and participate in the decision without voting
    regarding this matter.

    In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, Cr Finzel provided the following
    declaration to the meeting of a declarable conflict of interest in this matter:
    I, Cr Finzel, inform the meeting that I have a declarable conflict of interest in this matter as on 5 March
    2020, Mr Peter Butt who is an Executive Member of the Eastern Beaches Protection Association
    donated $1666.66 to my 2020 Election Campaign where I was one of three candidates that ran as a
    group known as 'Future Noosa' (which is no longer an entity). The Eastern Beaches Protection
    Association have nominated a representative to be a member of the Climate Change Response Plan
    Community Reference Group. Although I have a declarable conflict of interest, I do not believe a
    reasonable person could have a perception of bias because I believe that I do not have a close personal
    relationship with Mr Butt and I believe I can consider this matter impartially and in the public interest.
    Therefore, I will choose to remain in the meeting room. However, I will respect the decision of the
    meeting on whether I can remain and participate in the decision.

    Motion
    Moved:            Cr Stockwell
    Seconded:         Cr Jurisevic
    That Council note the declarable conflict of interest by Cr Lorentson and determine that it is in the public
    interest that Cr Lorentson remain in the meeting room for this item, on the condition that she does not
    participate in the debate nor vote on issues regarding the Eastern Beaches Protection Association
    because Council believes that Cr Lorentson could provide valuable input into the discussion on such a
    significant Shire-wide matter, and therefore a reasonable person would trust that the final decision is
    made in the public interest.
    For:           Crs Stockwell, Jurisevic
    Against:       Crs Wilkie, Stewart, Wegener
                                                                                                          Lost.
    Crs Lorentson and Finzel did not vote on the above motion.

    Committee Resolution
    Moved:        Cr Stewart
    Seconded:     Cr Wilkie
    That it is in the public interest that Cr Lorentson participates and votes on this matter because Council
    believes that Cr Lorentson can make a fair and impartial decision and therefore a reasonable person
    would trust that the final decision is made in the public interest.
    For:           Crs Stockwell, Jurisevic
    Against:       Crs Wilkie, Stewart, Wegener


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