Bully report binned

By Elizabeth Hart
THE State Government will not take any action over bullying claims made against Casey councillor Kevin Bradford.
The Minister for Planning and Local Government has cast off a 59-page report into council bullying, saying that “a case for an offence is unlikely” under the Local Government Act.
The report, commissioned by Casey Council and referred to the LGA and the minister last year, investigates breaches of the councillors’ code of conduct by the Mayfield Ward councillor.
Council at its 21 October meeting last year found that Cr Bradford had “substantially” breached its code of conduct by the bullying of a former female senior officer.
The confidential Worklogic report documents allegations of verbal abuse, humiliation, and victimisation of the female officer over four years.
Local Government Victoria returned the report to Casey Council in November, and on Tuesday a spokesman from the minister’s office stated that “LGV considered that a case for an offence under the Local Government Act was unlikely based on the evidence provided.”
Council’s Executive Services department distributed copies of the report to councillors at an in-camera session this month, with a recommendation that Cr Bradford be requested to undertake training in bullying awareness and avoidance and that the council fund the training.
It is the second recommendation the council has made since 21 October for Cr Bradford to undertake training in bullying awareness.
In relation to the bullying investigation, the minister’s spokesman said LGV’s advice related only to the Local Government Act. It did not cover matters relating to “possible breaches of either council’s code of conduct or the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004”.
The allegations of bullying are also the subject of a Workcover investigation, following the former officer’s extended sick leave and eventual resignation from the council last year.
Amendments to the Local Government Act late last year contain councillor conduct principles and provisions for councillor conduct panels and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to deal with councillor misconduct in the future, the minister’s spokesman said.
Cr Bradford, who is employed at the office of Luke Donellan, the member for Narre Warren North and parliamentary secretary to the Premier, rejected the bullying complaints when they became public last October, saying a group of councillors was out to sully his name.
Casey Council chief executive Mike Tyler said the report was in-camera “pending the council considering the matter further and determining the extent of any public disclosure”.
The News sought comment from Cr Bradford, but received no reply.