Bass Coast councillors clash over mayor's big fancy necklace

Would you like to see your mayor presented with a chunk of bling after being elected?

This pressing question was front and centre at the Bass Coast Shire council meeting on Wednesday, as councillors clashed over whether the CEO should formally present a  collarette following the annual election of the mayor.

The collarette is a ceremonial ribbon - which are often made of velvet - with a metal medallion attached. It is part of the Bass Coast mayoral regalia and is mainly worn to public events.

Bass Coast Shire adopted its current collarette in December 2023. It has a navy blue velvet strap with a metal medallion containing an image of a beach and the hills of Gippsland.

During the meeting councillor Meg Edwards proposed an amendment to the governance rules requiring the council CEO to present the collarette to the incoming mayor after elections.

“It doesn’t mean the CEO has to place it over the top [of the mayor’s head], we’re not knighting the mayor so to speak, although that could be fun,” she said.

Edwards said the collarette is only used occasionally, but should come into the chamber at least once a year for elections.

Councillor Mat Morgan - who had to google “mayoral collarette” ahead of the meeting -  vehemently disagreed with the amendment saying: “I think our constituents would be horrified if I didn’t speak to what I think is a fairly problematic motion. Frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an out of touch idea reach this chamber.”

Morgan said he thought it would be out of place to be “presenting each other with fancy necklaces when we have a community struggling to put food on the table and roofs over their heads”.

“How about we melt down the metals in the collarette, sell it and reinvest the money in community services,” he added. 

Councillor Ron Bauer assured Morgan there would be no value in melting it down as the collarette isn’t that valuable.

Bass Coast Shire adopted a new collarette in December 2023 and it is worn by mayor Rochelle Halstead at official events.

Morgan said he “knocked on thousands of doors last year, the mayor’s collarette was not mentioned once”.

Edwards said council should make the most of the collarette.

Councillor Jan Thompson seconded the Edwards motion, but conceded she was “a little divided” about whether it was “appropriate to go into our governance rules and regulations”.

By the end of the debate not even Edwards was prepared to back her own amendment and it was defeated unanimously.