New Deputy Lord Mayor chosen after council appointments voided
Adelaide City Councillor Phillip Martin has been elected Deputy Lord Mayor until four new Central Ward councillors are sworn in later this year.
Martin will replace former councillor David Elliott, who was elected Deputy Lord Mayor in November last year.
Elliott was supposed to serve in the role for 2025, but was one of the four Central Ward councillors whose appointments were voided after a court ruling in April.
A by-election for the four seats will occur around late August, about three months after the council’s electoral roll closes on May 30.
Martin previously served as Deputy Lord Mayor in 2022, a role that assists the Lord Mayor and acts as their spokesperson when they cannot attend official appearances.
The position is remunerated at $47,035.50 per annum, 1.5 times the pay of an Adelaide City Councillor’s $31,357 a year.
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Tuesday’s council meeting was the third attempt to elect a Deputy Lord Mayor following the court ruling.
To achieve a vote, the council amended their meeting procedures code, which the council agenda said would “provide for a more fair, rigorous and accountable process”.
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Usually, the person nominated for Deputy Lord Mayor will have to declare a conflict of interest and leave the room for the vote to take place.
At a previous meeting on April 22, when they tried to vote the usual way, there were not enough councillors in attendance, so if Martin left the room the quorum would have collapsed.
Last night’s amendment meant Martin could stay in the room for the vote, which would be conducted via secret ballot if there were multiple nominees.
Martin was the only nominee for the role.
Councillor Henry Davis disagreed with amending the meeting procedures for the vote, saying it was a “serious legal and ethical failing” and an orchestrated process to elect Martin.
Martin and the council CEO said they received legal advice, and the amended method of voting was an appropriate option under the Local Government Association’s guidelines for choosing a deputy mayor.
Davis and Councillor Mary Couros left the room for the vote, declaring a conflict of interest. Davis said his conflict was due to his history with Martin, and Couros said her conflict was due to having previously called for a culture investigation into Martin, which she felt could impact her ability to vote impartially.
Martin will also chair the council’s City Planning, Development and Business Affairs and Infrastructure and Public Works Committees as part of the role until new Central Ward councillors are sworn in and can have the opportunity to be considered for a chair position.
