A City of Joondalup councillor who tried to claim a beer he bought at a strip club on work expenses has resigned from the council, citing “personal reasons”.
Nige Jones was found to have breached conduct standards for claiming the drink expense at an Adelaide strip club on a city-funded trip in August.
On Wednesday, he resigned as the city’s North Central Ward representative, but it would not take effect until February next year.
Cr Jones lodged an expense claim for a beer he bought at the Crazy Horse Revue in Adelaide’s CBD, which describes itself as “Australia’s most iconic gentlemen’s club for over 40 years”.
Councillor drank beer ‘quickly’ after realising he was in strip club
“His claim for reimbursement of an alcoholic beverage at the Crazy Horse Revue and attendance at this establishment while on city-funded travel does not meet the standards of conduct expected of a council member,” a censure notice published by the City of Joondalup read.
Joondalup Mayor Daniel Kingston said a “collection of factors” may have been behind Cr Jones’s decision.
“He said to us it was because of personal reasons, he wants to spend more time with his family,” Cr Kingston told ABC Radio Perth.
“These things don’t happen in isolation; there have been these events leading up to this.”
Military questions
Cr Jones had faced questions over his military service after his council election material stated he had “proven integrity through 11 years military service in the British SAS regiment, Royal Military Police, Australian Pilbara Regiment and RAAF”.
He did train with the SAS for several months, but transferred to another regiment before completing the training.
He said he “probably” should have given voters more clarity on the details, but said he was “limited with words” on his election campaign material.
“You only get 150 words,” he told Channel 7.
Nige Jones says he realised he was in a strip club when a woman wearing a bikini began dancing. (Facebook: Councillor Nige Jones)
“It was just stating the places that I’d trained at, and that I served under.”
Cr Jones said he was insulted people were using this as a political weapon to try to discredit him.
“What, you’re discrediting me [for] the years of service I did at the Pilbara Regiment as a patrolman, working out of Taylor Barracks in Karratha?” Cr Jones said.
“I find that insulting. Especially when people are keyboard warriors who have never put a uniform on and never served their country.”
‘Genuine mistake’
Cr Jones said the events in Adelaide were “a genuine mistake” he attributed to tiredness after attending a dinner in Adelaide’s CBD.
Cr Jones said he mistakenly entered the Crazy Horse bar in Adelaide. (ABC News: Troy Sincock)
“I had restless sleep, so decided to go out and have an alcoholic drink to help me relax,” he said.
He said he walked to the nearest bar, which he “entered with no cover charge”, and ordered a beer “to help me relax” ahead of an early flight back to Perth the next morning.
“I had only been out [of] my bed 15 minutes when a dancer came out on the bar floor to dance in a bikini,” he said in a statement.
“Consequently, I came to my senses promptly and drank my beer as quickly as I could and left the bar.
“May I add I am not familiar with Adelaide CBD.”
‘Unintentional’ strip club entry
The councillor said he was only in the Crazy Horse for “20 minutes max” before walking to another bar to order another drink.
“Given I never felt I intentionally seeked [sic] a strip bar or stayed to take in the dances, I submitted all my refreshment receipts from the trip for reimbursement,” he said.
On November 13, Cr Jones was found to have breached standards expected of a council member and ordered to complete an “education course on ethical decision making”.
He was also asked to provide a “written reflection on his actions” within 30 days.
“I have submitted a reflective action plan to [City of Joondalup] as requested and booked to attend [an] ethical decision making course requested by CoJ,” Cr Jones said.
‘Strippers and booze’
Earlier on Wednesday, WA Premier Roger Cook called for Cr Jones to carefully consider his future with the council.
“It is completely unacceptable and quite frankly I’m not quite sure why he’s on the council if he thinks that that’s okay,” he said.
“This is about not whether someone has a glass of wine, not whether someone has interesting entertainment tastes, this is about using ratepayers funds for strippers and booze.
“I don’t know how or in what world someone would think that’s acceptable.”
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