CITY of Swan councillor Peter Lyndon-James’ request for an extended leave of absence while he travels around WA campaigning for an independent Senate seat in the upcoming Federal election has been granted.
The Altone Ward councillor will be on leave with pay from November 22, 2018 until May 7, 2019.
On his Senate Facebook page, Mr Lyndon-James said he will donate all his wages during this period to the Meerilinga Aboriginal Foundation in Beechboro minus the cost of flights.
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READ NOW“The donation will be less my flight costs to attend council meetings with the remainder going to the foundation to be allocated to the work that the organisation does within the Altone Ward alone,” he said.
“I have requested leave from Council duties, even though I will more than likely be here for most, if not all meetings.
“Depending on the speaking engagements that I may have, I may have no other choice but to stay in the town that I am in at the time due to not being able to obtain a flight.
“This arrangement gives me flexibility and keeps me informed with Council issues at the same time I am being transparent to you the City as well as those to whom elected me.”
Cr Lyndon-James said he felt a calling to make a bigger difference to the lives of Australians.
“Being on Council has been a tremendous learning curve and still is for me, which has made me realise and see that so much more needs to change than I had initially thought,” he said.
“I am informing the Council and especially the Altone Ward of this because they have so faithfully elected me to represent them and I want them to know that I am not abandoning them and that Council isn’t just a stepping stone for me to get into politics.
“I never wanted to run a rehabilitation centre but felt I must because people needed help in changing their lives.
“I never wanted to be a councillor but I knew I must because the laws that govern our state are working against the changing of lives and the restoring of families.
“I never wanted to enter into federal politics but I know in my heart I must as we need change.
“The policies, procedures, rules, acts, guidelines including codes of conduct governing our country have written us into a corner, rather than help us, they often make life harder for the everyday Australian and I believe Australians are sick of it.
“There is great disharmony and conflict between the work that needs to be done and the self-interest of different parties and individuals.
“I want to bring some common sense to the table.
“I want to call out hypocrisy, and emphasise honesty, transparency and integrity as well as accountability and truth in Government and in policy-making.”
The leave request was granted nine votes to two.