Vow To Track Council Leak

Newcastle Herald

Friday August 22, 2008

By HAYLEY ODGERS and ALISON BRANLEY

PORT Stephens Council general manager Peter Gesling has vowed to find the source of a leaked confidential report that shows adult gay pornography has been found on a councillor's laptop.

Mr Gesling said yesterday he was disappointed in the extreme that the confidential matter had found its way to the media.

"I will be endeavouring by whatever means are available to ascertain the source of this leak as a matter of priority," he said.

Mr Gesling's comments followed a report in the Port Stephens Examiner that said Cr Josh Hodges had been brought before the council's conduct committee after adult gay pornography was found on his council-supplied laptop.

A confidential report seen by the Examiner showed Cr Hodges had been found in breach of the council's code of conduct by a committee convened to investigate allegations of misbehaviour within the council.

The committee found Cr Hodges had downloaded "sexually inappropriate explicit material" to his council-supplied laptop.

The council's information technology department discovered the images in January after Cr Hodges asked staff to remove a virus from the laptop.

Evidence of similar downloads on a PC in the councillors' room at the council chambers were found but it could not be ascertained who was responsible.

The leaked report said Cr Hodges believed the laptop given to him for his role as a councillor was not a council resource and he could use it as he saw fit.

He argued that from time to time other people had used the laptop and the pornographic material could have been downloaded by them.

The committee found that given the quantity of the pornographic material, it was "not reasonable that it would have been downloaded [by other people] from time to time."

The investigation found Cr Hodges had "considerable material" concerning his private and business affairs on the councillors' PC in the chambers, which constituted breaches of the code of conduct.

A report to a confidential July 29 meeting of the council recommended Cr Hodges be censured and counselled in the proper use of council resources.

However, it is uncertain whether a motion from Cr Ken Jordan at the confidential meeting censured Cr Hodges.

Cr Hodges could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The Examiner reported that he would not comment on the investigation or the council's decision, citing confidentiality of the matter.

But Cr Hodges was reported as saying he was disappointed confidential information was constantly leaked, because it undermined trust within the council.

He said residents would be more interested in ensuring the council delivered on infrastructure needs than debate about the policy on the use of council-supplied equipment.

Mr Gesling told the Examiner that he was "satisfied that the integrity of the process which has been followed in this instance is beyond reproach".

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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