Alcohol and Drugs Policy proposed for Redlands mayor and councillors

Redland City’s mayor and other elected councillors, if suspected of being under the influence while working, will be subject to the same alcohol and drugs testing process as employees and contractors, under a policy proposed for adoption at the next Council meeting.

An officers’ report proposing adoption of a ‘Councillors’ Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy’ is on the general meeting agenda for Wednesday 21 June 2023.

This matter was discussed by the Council in January when a motion proposed by Cr Adelia Berridge was passed 10/1 with only Cr Julie Talty voting against the resolution, shown below.

Karen Williams – drinks, drives and crashes

Mayor Karen Williams was in the news nearly a year ago, crashing her Council vehicle after drinking “several glasses of wine” at a post-budget event in the Councillor Lounge.

A post-crash test revealed that the mayor drove with a blood alcohol concentration of 17.7, which is more than three times the 0.5 legal limit.

Newspaper headlines described Williams as a “bloody idiot”. Many people including LNP politicians called for her to resign as Mayor, but she didn’t.

A petition to Queensland Parliament signed by more than six thousand people called on the Local Government minister Steven Miles to sack the mayor, but he didn’t.

In the Cleveland Magistrates Court on 1 August 2022 Williams pleaded guilty to drink driving. She was sentenced to 80 hours of community service, lost her driving licence for six months, and must have an alcohol interlock fitted to her vehicle for five years.

Williams announced in February 2023 that she would be running for re-election as Redlands mayor at the next Local Government elections due on 16 March 2024.

Allegations of “drinking sessions”

A few days after the mayor’s post-budget car crash, concerns about drinking sessions in Redland City Council chambers were reported by the Redland City Bulletin.

Cr Berridge said she had raised concerns on multiple occasions about alcohol being consumed in “private rooms” within the council chambers, before the mayoral incident.

Cr Wendy Boglary denied that there was a drinking culture at the Council but said: “I would like to think the council buildings could be alcohol-free, including the councillor lounge”.

Alcohol and drugs policy adopted by Mackay Council

In August 2022, a ‘Councilor Alcohol & Other Drugs’ policy was adopted by Mackay Regional Council. This policy applies to the mayor and elected councillors while they are undertaking official duties which include, by way of example:

• Attending formal or informal meetings including ordinary and special meetings,
  committee meetings, briefing sessions and workshops;
• Any meeting that directly has the primary purpose of discussing Council or
  Council business;
• Attendance at community meetings;
• Formal engagements where a Councillor is representing Council in an Official
  Capacity;
• Attendance at a conference;
• Formal meetings between Councillors about Council business;
• Meeting with or undertaking discussions with residents either in the workplace or on site; and
• Travel to and from any Official Duties listed above.

Other Queensland local councils with alcohol and drugs policies for elected councillors are Ipswich, Balonne and Rockhampton, according to the Courier Mail.

Redlands proposed alcohol and drugs policy

The policy proposed for adoption by Redland City Council at its meeting next week says:

Where a reasonable suspicion has been established that a Councillor is under the influence of alcohol or drugs when in a workplace, testing will be undertaken in accordance with the Guideline and Council, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2009, will refer the matter to the Office of the Independent Assessor.

Council meeting details

The next Redland City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 21 June commencing at 9:30am.

The meeting agenda including officers’ reports can be viewed on the Council’s website.

Members of the community can observe proceedings from the Public Gallery but you may need to be there well ahead of the meeting start time to get one of the few available seats. Council meetings are live-streamed on You Tube.

Redlands2030 – 16 June 2023

UPDATE: At its meeting on 21 June 2023, a Redland City Council resolution to adopt the Councillors’ Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy was carried 10/1.

Crs Wendy Boglary, Peter Mitchell, Paul Gollè, Lance Hewlett, Mark Edwards,
Rowanne McKenzie, Tracey Huges, Adelia Berridge, Paul Bishop and Karen Williams, voted FOR the motion. Cr Julie Talty voted AGAINST the motion.