Re-elected Esperance councillor Sam Starcevich accuses colleague Gemma Johnston of inappropriate behaviour

An Esperance councillor has called for a colleague to be stood down after listing a series of alleged breaches and alleged “intimidatory” and “bullying” behaviour at a recent shire function. At Tuesday’s council meeting, newly re-elected councillor Sam Starcevich called out the alleged behaviour of fellow councillor Gemma Johnston, who was not at the meeting. Cr Starcevich alleged Cr Johnston had bullied a shire employee at an event after a special council meeting on October 21. “I personally witnessed a disturbing incident of intimidation and bullying between Cr Johnston and a shire employee,” Cr Starcevich said. “Her conduct was unacceptable, and it must be made clear that such actions have no place in this chamber or within any part of this organisation.” Cr Starcevich’s comments came after fellow councillor Leonie de Haas mentioned an incident between a councillor, who she didn’t name, and another shire employee. “Inappropriate conduct occurred at the farewell sundowner where this same councillor’s confrontational attempts to photograph (the employee) against her wishes caused visible distress,” Cr de Haas said. “Several of us felt compelled to intervene to protect her as she was clearly shaken. “This was not only deeply disappointing, it detracted from the farewell of councillors (Steve) McMullen and (Shayne) Flanagan and failed to offer a respectful welcome to our incoming councillors.” Cr de Haas had also talked about the “unwarranted” and “extremely disparaging” speech the same councillor had in their “bid to become deputy president” during the special council meeting. Cr Johnston, Cr de Haas and past deputy president Jennifer Obourne were the only councillors who ran for deputy president during this year’s local government election. In Cr Johnston’s pitch to gain the role, she opened her speech by stating: “I stand tonight to nominate for the position of deputy president knowing that I am likely to receive only one vote, being my own.” Within the speech, Cr Johnston had claimed there were alliances within the council and how she had felt discouraged by her colleagues. “I believe a lack of strong principled leadership within this council has contributed to an environment that instead of fostering collaboration and respect at times has too often encouraged the lodging of complaints and the formation of internal alliances,” she said. “This behaviour has, in my view, cultivated a culture that borders on workplace bullying; such dysfunction within our council does not service our community.” At Tuesday’s meeting, Cr Starcevich had also listed several alleged breaches Cr Johnston had accrued during the past 12 months before asking shire president Ron Chambers to consider standing the councillor down. “In December 2024, the panel found she improperly involved herself in an administration, breaching regulation 19,” she said. “In January 2025, the panel found that she made a disparaging remark about a fellow councillor on Facebook causing disadvantage and breaching regulation 18. “Plus, the behavioural complaints committee determined that Cr Johnston failed to observe the shire’s elected member social policy, a policy that she herself endorsed. “These are not isolated incidents, and they show a consistent pattern of behaviour that is inconsistent with the standards expected of an elected representative. “This is something that cannot be dismissed or ignored. Given the seriousness and repeated nature of these breaches, I ask again, should Cr Johnston not be suspended or preferably stood down to ensure that this council can function in a safe and fair, accountable manner?” Cr Starcevich suggested the councillor received immediate suspension until the Department of Local Government and the minister conduct an investigation into Cr Johnston’s breaches. Mr Chambers told the councillor that the code of conduct regulations and the Act allowed people to lodge their complaints and how the council should be focusing on moving forward in their roles. “From a council point of view, I think it’s really important that we continue as a council to focus on the role that we’re elected to do and make sure that we do continue to uphold the standards and continue to focus on making sure that we’re here doing what it is that we’re supposed to be doing and focus on moving forward,” he said. Under the Local Government Act the shire did not have the ability to suspend or stand a councillor down, rather it was a Department of Local Government and ministerial matter. At Tuesday’s council meeting the seating arrangements changed, as requested by Cr Johnston. The councillor was moved from her original seat located in between Cr de Haas and Cr Gerry Harp to a seat at the end of the table next to Cr Gary McWilliams. The Kalgoorlie Miner spoke to Mr Chambers on Wednesday, who wanted to advise the community that there was still a “good relationship” between the council and the shire administration. “With the addition of the new councillors that we’ve got, I think we’ve got an extremely good group of people sitting around the table and I’m sure that with some maturity and some heads down, we can achieve what we need to achieve,” he said. The Kalgoorlie Miner spoke to Cr Johnston on Wednesday, who said: “I believe the complaints system must exist for good governance purposes and the likes, but I have also seen how the system can be used unfairly against councillors and it all comes at a cost to everyone, and most importantly the ratepayer.”