By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon has expressed “deep regret” over her conduct that’s under investigation by an IBAC inquiry.
She and other councillors have been scrutinised by Operation Sandon for allegedly accepting support and acting in the interests of developer John Woodman.
“I would like to say how deeply I regret my actions in this matter,” Ms Stapledon told the IBAC hearing on 17 March.
“My intention was always to be a fantastic councillor, champion of the community and those in need.
“I’m so bitterly disappointed in myself and the impact that I might have had on my council officers, who I love dearly, and fellow councillors and the community.”
IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich said her statement of contrition was similar to her friend and Woodman lobbyist Lorraine Wreford.
Ms Stapledon said she hadn’t discussed her statement with Ms Wreford.
“I just don’t believe my behaviours were in line with my values.”
Earlier in the hearing she said she’d tried to play “big boy politics and wasn’t doing a very good job of it”, and that she’d shown a “terrible sense of judgement”.
She called for councillors to undergo mandatory ongoing education on conflicts of interest.
Mr Redlich replied that “the regrettable fact is in your case it wasn’t about ignorance of the conflict of interest rules”.
“It wasn’t a lack of understanding about them that led you to non-compliance, is it?”
Ms Stapledon said she wasn’t across all of the rules presented during the IBAC hearing.
“Had we had that continuation of that education around governance, conflicts of interest, communication, all of those things, I think I would have done things differently.”
