Council
4 May, 2022
Questions over Mallee candidate’s councillor allowance
Claudia Haenel nominated in early April once nominations opened up, but did not take a leave of absence from council.
HORSHAM Rural City councillor Claudia Haenel has continued to receive a councillor income despite stepping away from councillor duties while she campaigns for the federal election.
Ms Haenel nominated in early April once nominations opened up, but did not take a leave of absence from council.
Council confirmed that Ms Haenel has continued to receive the monthly approximate $2187 councillor allowance, with 9.5 percent superannuation, though she hasn’t attended a council meeting since January.
Ms Haenel declared her intention to nominate in late 2021 and in January 2022 Horsham Council adopted its guidelines for councillors intending to nominate for state or federal government.
The guidelines stated that any councillor nominating for state or federal politics should take a leave of absence, but it did not mandate that leave of absence.
Ms Haenel said that she has chosen to step away from council meetings and other council business and has not voted on any council issues since nominating in April.
“I'm not able to cross over on council issues while campaigning federally, the LGA 2020 states I need to draw a definite line and keep both separate,” she said.
“I haven't voted since nominating for federal election so there is no conflict of interest, especially as I am a stand alone Independent and have no financial backers or political party so no conflict and I haven't voted since nominating for federal election.”
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Ms Haenel has consistently stated that she did not intend to take a leave of absence and at the time she accused the council of trying to bully her out of her councillor role.
In response to questions put to Ms Haenel this week as to why she did not take a leave of absence, Ms Haenel repeated these accusations
“You can't just remove a Councillor elected by the people,” she said.
“Everything from making up policies specially designed to bully me out of office, to trying to enforce leave of absence, council has been obsessed with trying to thwart me every step of the way.
“Every Australian citizen has the right to participate in elections in our democracy and council should just accept that and get on with doing their work, instead of playing politics.”
Ms Haenel referred to Rob Priestly, a Shepparton City councillor, who is standing as an independent for the seat of Nicholls.
“Rob Priestly is the deputy mayor (sic) of Shepparton and he is running as a candidate in Nicholls with none of this bullying and intimidation,” she said.
“Even though not everyone would agree with his point of view, his council didn't try to get rid of him.
“HRCC have behaved appallingly. They could have just accepted that I am here and running for federal election, and just get on with their own council business, instead of playing politics over such little things.”
However, Mr Priestly took a leave of absence from Shepparton Council at the start of the year.
In the seat of Mallee, Swan Hill councillor Stuart King is running as a United Australia Party candidate and took a leave of absence from mid-February.
Australians will go to the polls on May 21, with early voting opening on May 9.