Administrator Graeme Emonson said the reason for the appointments was to highlight that the council, and by consequence, the administrators, were active around the shire.
“It is important that Moira Shire Council is effectively represented at a range of committees, whether they be internal or external-facing representation-type roles,” he said.
The newly filled positions were previously vacant. Dr Emonson said it was important that the council was represented and that the administrators took up the opportunity to represent the shire and the community through their new positions.
To help the administrators represent the community in the best possible way, the three have also signed new codes of conduct.
The administrators have designed the Administrator Code of Conduct to ensure that they are held to a high standard and that good governance practices are maintained.
The issue of good governance, or the lack thereof, was highlighted in the commission of inquiry into Moira Shire Council earlier this year.
The new code of conduct is a collective agreement by the administrators of shared values and standards regarding behaviour.
Those values include respect, honesty, accountability, integrity and teamwork.
The code of conduct covers issues such as the treatment of others and the role of the administrators.
According to administrator Suzanna Sheed, the issue of the code of conduct has been pursued since the appointment of the panel.
“It is an important document which sets out the boundaries and the guiding principals in which we operate,” Ms Sheed said.
Ms Sheed was keen to point out that the Administrator Code of Conduct would allow for robust debate regarding council’s direction to be carried out respectfully.
Such sentiments were echoed by Dr Emonson, who described the new code as a positive step forward and promised it wasn’t simply a “tick and flick” exercise.
“The code of conduct for the administrators is a good governance practice,” he said.
“It’s a very public and visible opportunity for us (the administrators) to set a level of expectation about the standards of behaviour and the values we as a panel wish to follow.”
The administrators hold positions in the following groups:
Panel of administrators chair John Tanner
Moira Shire Youth Council; Moira Shire Council All Abilities Advisory Committee; Murray River Group of Councils; Goulburn Valley Regional Library Corporation Board; Moira Shire Council CEO Employment and Remuneration Advisory Council; Moira Shire Council Audit and Risk Committee and the Municipal Association of Victoria.
Suzanna Sheed
Moira Shire Youth Council; Moira Shire Council CEO Employment and Remuneration Committee; Moira Shire Council Audit and Risk Committee; Numurkah Flood Mitigation Implementation Committee; Cobram East Flood Mitigation Design Steering Committee; Upper Broken and Boosey Creek Flood Study Project Steering Committee and the Murray-Darling Association Inc.
Graeme Emonson
Moira Shire Youth Council; Moira Shire Council CEO Employment and Remuneration Committee and the Moira Shire Council Audit and Risk Committee.
