The Queensland corruption watchdog's decision to charge a mayor and seven local councillors for allegedly pushing their chief executive out of her job has been criticised as overreach by the state's local government association.
Logan City Council faces being the second Queensland council to be sacked after the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) charged suspended mayor Luke Smith and the councillors with one count each of fraud.
It's alleged they colluded to "dishonestly cause a detriment" in causing former chief executive Sharon Kelsey's dismissal last year, when a majority of councillors voted against extending her contract.
But the Local Government Association of Queensland has expressed concern over the charges, arguing the matter should have been dealt with as an industrial relations dispute rather than under criminal laws.
Chief executive Greg Hallam said their conviction would have "massive implications for industrial relations in Queensland".
"Anyone, not just councillors, who is an employer and a director of a board who made a decision in relation to their CEO could potentially be found guilty of fraud," Mr Hallam told AAP.
"That's enormous."
The matter involving Ms Kelsey, Mr Hallam said, was not akin to the alleged widespread corruption investigated by the CCC in nearby Ipswich.
"These matters are not, in any way, related to what's happened in Ipswich," he said.
"These are not related to developments or backhanders or people obtaining gains through whatever means.
"This is a council, in an ordinary council meeting, deciding not to approve their CEO's probation."
The Logan eight were charged by the CCC on Friday before being granted bail.
The councillors are Russell Lutton, Phil Pidgeon, Stephen Swenson, Laurie Smith, Jennie Breene, Cherie Dalley and Trevina Schwartz.
The charged councillors were automatically suspended from their roles once charges were laid, leaving Logan with just four councillors.
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe is now considering whether to dissolve the council.
Mr Smith was also charged by the CCC with two counts of misconduct in relation to public office for allegedly starting a dishonest probation process for Ms Kelsey and interfering in the recruitment process of another person.
He is already facing charges of official corruption, failing to correct his council register of interests and two counts of perjury.
In August, the Ipswich City Council was dissolved after 15 people connected to the council, including two former mayors, were charged with 86 criminal offences in a highly publicised corruption scandal.
Australian Associated Press
