At our council meeting on August 24, Cr Martin Bella and I were proud to bring forward a Notified Motion, which saw Mackay Regional Council adopt a Councillor Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy.
The policy received unanimous support from all councillors present at the meeting. For me, there was no question about introducing a policy – if it’s good enough for our staff to participate in random drug and alcohol testing, then it should be good enough for councillors.
The objectives of the policy are to provide a safe, healthy and productive workplace, and it focuses on eliminating risks associated with the adverse effects of alcohol and other drugs in the workplace by:
• preventing, where possible, drug and alcohol related incidents
• ensuring that councillors adversely affected by substances do not create a negative perception of council
• ensuring councillors are in a fit state to undertake their official duties.
In doing research prior to the formulation of the policy, it appears Mackay Regional Council is one of only a handful of 77 councils throughout Queensland to take this step, and residents of our region have suggested to us that State and Federal government MPs should also hold themselves accountable and introduce policies.
Our residents deserve nothing less than full clarity from the leaders and decision makers of this region. If you see something about a councillor’s behaviour that leads you to think they are impaired by drugs or alcohol, report it to council.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Luke Bona from Triple M Night Shift about the policy and he was astounded that we were only just introducing it now. He, like a lot of people, thought that a staff Drug and Alcohol Policy would automatically cover elected officials. This is not the case, as we are not classed as employees.
It’s very simple. Where a councillor is not undertaking official duties, the policy does not apply. However, councillors, as the primary representative of the council, are still required to comply with the “Code of Conduct for Councillors in Queensland” and any other legislative provisions.
Cr Fran Mann
Mackay Regional Council
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2024 Mackay and Whitsunday Life Pty Ltd.
