Hobart City Council suspends professional development policy after “concerning applications” - The Mercury
- Category: Tasmania
HOBART City Council has suspended its professional development policy and any international travel associated with it after what Lord Mayor Sue Hickey said was a number of concerning applications by aldermen.
Alderman Hickey said no offences had been committed but three independent reviews had raised serious concerns about the policy.
The scheme allows aldermen to claim $5000 a year, which can be rolled forward so elected members can get up to $10,000 in one year for profession development activities.
Ald Hickey wrote to the Integrity Commission, Department of Premier and Cabinet and Hobart’s external Audit and Risk Panel requesting reviews of the scheme.
She said recent applications by a third of aldermen prompted her to request the reviews. The applications in question were lodged just before the cut-off for this term of the administration — which would have allowed the yearly...
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