ROBERTSON councillor Jim Mauger has come under fire for no longer declaring a pecuniary interest in relation to the Robertson Sewerage Scheme, despite admitting he stands to benefit by about $1 million from the project.
In the council's code of meeting practice, councillors must leave the room, not participate in the debate or vote on any matter in which they could stand to experience financial gain or loss.
But councillor Mauger said he no longer believed he held a pecuniary interest because "the decisions have been made" and work on the STP had begun.
Questions were raised by councillor Duncan Gair on Wednesday night as minutes for the sewerage committee, of which Cr Mauger is chair, were adopted.
In the minutes, Cr Mauger said "he stood to benefit more than anyone else in Robertson by the installation of the STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) ? it was worth about $1 million to him".
Despite this, Cr Mauger still chaired the meeting and even seconded the motion to adopt the minutes.
Cr Gair sought clarification from general manager Jason Gordon, who said it was the responsibility of councillors to seek their own advice and decide if they had a pecuniary interest to declare.
Speaking after the meeting, Cr Mauger said Cr Gair needed to "mind his own business".
"Cr Gair needs to look after his own interests and forget about Cr Mauger," he said.
"What is it, one law for Duncan Gair and one for Jim Mauger?
"I am responsible for any statements I have made and Duncan had better well look at his own bloomin' pecuniary interests."
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