Sarah Herrmann, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Yorke Peninsula Council elected member Adam Meyer walked out of his first council meeting after being suspended from elected office.

Councillor Meyer was free to attend on Wednesday, February 12, following a month-long suspension, but chose to leave just 15 minutes in to the meeting.

A statutory body, the Behavioural Standards Panel, suspended him from elected office without an allowance for one month, from January 10 to February 10.

The panel found Cr Meyer committed serious misbehaviour in relation to two of six allegations made by YPC regarding his behaviour toward a senior council officer.

Just moments after the meeting began, Mayor Darren Braund asked if any councillors would like to declare a conflict of interest, and Cr Meyer said that he was uncertain.

“I’m unsure whether I can declare a conflict of interest tonight because I actually haven’t been issued with the agenda,” he said.

Cr Meyer referenced Section 83.1 of the Local Government Act, which states in the case of an ordinary meeting, the chief executive must notify councillors of the meeting three days before the meeting date, and this must be accompanied by the agenda.

“Due to my absence, I haven’t received the agenda in the timeframe, so I don’t even know what’s in the agenda tonight, Mr Mayor, so what do we do in this situation?” he asked.

“Normally we get an email from an assistant and we have access via SharePoint to agendas which include confidential items that are not released to the public.

“I’m in your hands, Mr Mayor, but I’m at a serious disadvantage for tonight’s meeting.”

Mr Braund said the agenda had been published, Cr Meyer had access to it, therefore the legislative requirements had been followed, and the meeting would go ahead.

A council spokesperson confirmed to the YP Country Times that the agenda was provided to the public, as well as each member of the council entitled to receive it, on February 7.

“As Cr Meyer was suspended from office he could not, during the period of the suspension, be given access by the council to information, documents or materials,” a council spokesperson said.

“Consistent with the legislation, Cr Meyer was able to access the public agenda for the council meeting and the confidential agenda was accessible once Cr Meyer’s suspension ceased.”

Cr Meyer said he had been unable to collect his laptop from the YPC Yorketown office due to his suspension, and could not collect it once his suspension finished due to work commitments.

“I can’t vote on any motions if I don’t know what the reports are, what the details are,” Cr Meyer said.

“Does that mean I need to leave the meeting?”

“No, you’re quite welcome to stay” was Mr Braund’s response.

Shortly after, in the questions without notice section, Cr Meyer asked Mr Braund: “Mr Mayor, with the recent investigation by the Behavioural Standards Panel, can you please confirm if it was you that made the complaint against me, or did you refer to the panel on someone else’s behalf?

“Not asking for any specific details as to who else it might be, just was it yourself or was it a referral of a complaint by someone else?”

Mr Braund said he would take the question on notice because he needed to consider confidentiality issues surrounding a response.

Just before the council began to discuss the agenda, Cr Meyer decided to excuse himself from the meeting.

“As I’m unsure whether I’ll have a conflict of interest for any item moving forward, I’m going to excuse myself from my seat and remove myself from being required to answer for or against any motions, as I’ve had no time to review them,” Cr Meyer said.

Mr Braund informed Cr Meyer he was unable to remain in the room if not in his seat as councillor (as per local government regulations), to which Cr Meyer chose to leave the room.

Cr Meyer’s suspension caused him to miss YPC’s January 22 ordinary meeting, at which members of the Yorke Peninsula Ratepayers Association protested the suspension.

Frank Pangallo MLC and Narungga MP Fraser Ellis previously told the YPCT they would be investigating Cr Meyer’s suspension further.

See stories on pages 4 and 5 regarding a public meeting on the matter held by Mr Pangallo at Arthurton on February 11.

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 18 February 2025.
Related story: Ratepayers enlist Pangallo.