THIS WEEK IN FREO 2017

IN September 2017, StreetWise published details of former mayor Brad Pettitt’s election campaign and his team’s priority issues including the City’s troubled finances, Australia Day, J-shed, Roe 8 and how to counter Ra Stewart’s mayoral run.
Four years on, the minutes of that August 16 meeting resonate in the lead-up to the 2021 local government elections, with most members of Dr Pettitt’s campaign now on Team Hannah.
Notable among the members of Team Brad – former East Ward Cr Dave Coggin, who was recruited to Premier Mark McGowan’s office after the State Labor election win, and four elected members including Crs Fitzhardinge, Rachel Pemberton, Sam Wainwright and Ingrid Waltham.
Team members also included Labor member Brian Smith, former CFMEU lawyer Tim Kucera, former councillor and bankrupt Tim Grey-Smith, former government adviser Paul Jarvis, WGV precinct member Roy Lewisson, ‘Rethink the Link’ convener Kim Dravnieks, ‘Save the Beeliar Wetlands’ lobbyist Kate Kelly and DesignFreo advisor Pippa Hurst.
Team Brad included a number of precinct convenors including several still administering and moderating council-funded online pages where Crs Fitzhardinge, Andrew Sullivan and Adin Lang currently are pushing their election promises, including on South Fremantle Precinct moderated by former Team Brad member Lisa Barnes.
StreetWise followed up its exclusive with a September 28 report detailing issues Team Brad would target. Item 4 on the agenda included getting stickers (Cr Pemberton’s job) for a marriage equality rally on August 25 and, “prepare for counter campaign to Ra”, specifically why not to vote for her.
It also notes, “Aus Day debate is shifting”, and regarding J-Shed, “best to stay quiet”.
Team Brad also reached out to potential sponsors and supporters, some of whom are supporting Cr Fitzhardinge’s mayoral campaign, including America’s Cup yachtie John Longley, English comedian Ben Elton and garden guru Josh Byrne.
Importantly is the reference in the minutes to, “Brad to tell CEO to audit financial reports in 7 days”. This is despite consistent claims the City finances were shipshape so why, StreetWise asked, direct the CEO during an election campaign – itself a potential breach of the Local Government Act?
The next day, Dr Pettitt contacted StreetWise to clear up the CEO issue, stating he approached the CEO after the meeting to move a motion in council to conduct a preliminary audit into the finances: “The CEO advised the motion was not required as he was already discussing commissioning an external and independent preliminary audit via the City’s audit and risk committee.”
Dr Pettitt added: “I don’t believe you (Freo StreetWise) are taking one side or another. I have no problems with my minutes having been leaked. I respect your right to report what they say.”

Party politics

Campaigning on council transparency and accountability, unsuccessful City Ward candidate Claudia Green said after the minutes were published: “It’s mind blowing and shocking in its blatant depth of influence of Party politics and cronyism. This is yet another example of Party political influence on Council, the precincts, and dominance of State Party politics running local government agendas.”
Ms Green noted it was inappropriate for councillors to use their elected office to influence an electoral outcome (which describes much of the current campaigning by elected members) and called for a ‘caretaker’ period used by councils and government throughout WA, except in Fremantle.
Ms Green and others called for the Auditor General to investigate why, without any indication of the CEO’s report having been referred to WA Treasury, the City’s poor financial health indicator (FHI) would suddenly jump from 42 to 85 (a rating of 70 indicating a financially sound council) because of budget “anomalies” described by the City?
Fremantle’s current FHI has dropped to 54.
“It is extraordinary to think that a group of non-elected private individuals and elected councillors can direct a City employee to provide a formal financial report to the State Government OUTSIDE due process and council auspices, and which would appear to be for the express purpose of electoral advantage,” Ms Green said. “It appears also untenable that the Minister received and then acted immediately on this report called for by an unauthorised body. I think this is everything that concerns me about governance in this council.”
One of the reasons for Dr Pettitt directing the CEO is because five days earlier on August 11, Local Government Minister David Templeman announced 22 local councils in WA including Fremantle were considered to be “high risk”. The City then issued a media release stating its financial health index would be reviewed subject to a final audit by the department, expected to be completed after the elections.
The minister’s office told StreetWise it had been approached by the City after opposition local government spokesman Tony Krsticevic raised Freo’s financials in parliament on September 19. Mr Templeman said: “Fremantle was on there particularly for some compliance matters. Again, they were quite upset when there was a bit of media about the risk, because they had actually addressed a number of the outstanding requirements, but because the list was published, they were still on it.”