The administrator of an outback South Australian council is planning to sue the local newspaper for defamation and has referred allegations it made to the corruption watchdog.

Key points:

  • The paper’s editor says she welcomes the investigation, but only found out about the action when the ABC called
  • The administrator says he’s been accused of a “particularly serious offence”
  • He says the council will fund the litigation process

Coober Pedy administrator Tim Jackson has released a statement alleging that the Coober Pedy Regional Times published false claims relating to events in 2019 last November.

“They alleged that I instructed the acting CEO of the council in 2019 not to remind councillors that they needed to make a declaration of their interest,” Mr Jackson said.

Councillors are required to lodge ordinary returns detailing financial and other interests, which are published in a register.

In 2020 it emerged that Coober Pedy councillors failed to lodge ordinary returns because they had been indefinitely suspended, even though they were still legally required to do so.

The council was forced to go to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal to ensure they did not lose their status as elected members.

“This is a requirement under the Local Government Act soon after they’re elected,” Mr Jackson said.

He said the allegations he had directed the chief executive to tell councillors not to lodge their returns were untrue.

“In fact, if it was true it would be a particularly serious offence,” Mr Jackson said.

Tim Jackson intends to take the paper to court.(ABC North and West: Gillian Aeria)

Action news to paper

Mr Jackson has also referred the paper’s claims to the Office of Public Integrity in the hope the facts can be independently established.

“That needs to be placed on public record, I believe, as a result of the investigation,” he said.

The editor of the Regional Times, Margaret Mackay, said she first heard of the issue when the ABC contacted her.

“I fully support his decision to take the matter to the Office of Public Integrity,” she said.

Mr Jackson said the council would fund the litigation.