{{short description|Australian mayor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Lisa Scaffidi | image = 11 Nov gnangarra-21.jpg | caption = | office = 55th Lord Mayor of Perth | term_start = 20 October 2007 | term_end = 19 October 2019<br/>{{small|'''Acting''' 8 September 2017 – 2 March 2018}}<br/>{{small|'''Suspended''' 2 March 2018 – 19 October 2019}} | deputy = Janet Davidson<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-gets-new-deputy-mayor-20090218-8atp.html | title=Perth gets new deputy mayor | date=18 February 2009 }}</ref><br />Rob Butler<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/11/perth-deputy-mayor-rob-butler-failed-to-declare-gift-of-trip-to-malacca-report | title=Perth deputy mayor Rob Butler failed to declare gift of trip to Malacca – report &#124; Perth &#124; the Guardian }}</ref><br />Reece Harley<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-12/reece-harley-accuses-lisa-scaffidi-of-culture-of-entitlement/6845790 | title='Culture of entitlement' at City of Perth under Scaffidi, Harley says | newspaper=ABC News | date=11 October 2015 }}</ref><br />James Limnios<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-22/james-limnios-elected-deputy-mayor/6878202 | title=Developer James Limnios elected Perth Deputy Mayor | newspaper=ABC News | date=22 October 2015 }}</ref><br />Jemma Green<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hamlyn|first1=Charlotte|title=Perth City councillors, including Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, censured over no-confidence vote|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-06/perth-councillors-slapped-on-the-wrist-over-no-confidence-vote/8422906|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=ABCNews|date=6 April 2017}}</ref> | predecessor = Peter Nattrass | successor = Basil Zempilas | birth_name = Lisa-Michelle Sanders | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|2|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = Perth, Western Australia | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Joe Scaffidi<ref>{{cite news|last1=Adshead|first1=Gary|title=Scaffidi family feud sparks forgery claim|url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/scaffidi-family-feud-sparks-forgery-claim-ng-ya-241763|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=The West Australian|date=13 August 2009|location=Perth, WA}}</ref> | party = }}

'''Lisa-Michelle Scaffidi''' ({{nee|'''Sanders'''}}; born 12 February 1960) is a former Lord Mayor of Perth, Western Australia. The first female Lord Mayor of Perth, Scaffidi became mayor following the October 2007 council elections, after the retirement of her predecessor, Peter Nattrass, who served a record twelve years in the position.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Laurie|first1=Victoria|title=Getting over the growing pains|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/getting-over-the-growing-pains/news-story/c0084ec73cc47f00e471d24f6b6ce036|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=The Australian|date=26 January 2008}}</ref> Scaffidi and the rest of the City of Perth council were suspended on 2 March 2018, while the state government investigated the council's operations regarding "serious breaches" of local laws.<ref name="suspension3">{{cite news|title=The City of Perth saga descends into farce, but the final act is yet to come|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-03/city-of-perth-suspension-brings-crisis-to-a-head/9503806|accessdate=28 March 2018|work=ABC News|date=3 March 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Early life== Scaffidi was educated at Churchlands Primary School and Methodist Ladies' College after which she graduated as a dental therapist from the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University). She served as an air hostess with TAA in 1980, worked in the hospitality industry in a marketing capacity and, in the 1990s, helped to promote export of semi-precious stones. She was the WA State Director of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) for over ten years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leadership learnings from the Lord Mayor, Lisa-M. Scaffidi |url=http://www.ceda.com.au/events/eventdetails/2015/4/w150429|website=CEDA|publisher=Committee for Economic Development of Australia|date=29 April 2015}}</ref>

She served two terms as a councillor before successfully contesting the lord-mayoralty.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Madeleine|last1=King|title=Leading WA women join Perth USAsia Centre Board|url=http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/201405026645/appointments/leading-wa-women-join-perth-usasia-centre-board|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=University News|publisher=The University of Western Australia|date=2 May 2014|location=Crawley, WA}}</ref>

== Corruption and Crime Commission == In October 2015, the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia found that Scaffidi had "signally failed in her duties" as lord mayor by accepting and failing to declare a $31,000 travel package to the 2008 Beijing Olympics from BHP, and other gifts from private companies that have dealings with the City of Perth. The commission found that Scaffidi had committed acts of "serious misconduct" but believed she had not acted corruptly.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wahlquist|first1=Calla|title=Corruption watchdog says Perth's lord mayor 'failed in duties' over Olympics trip|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/06/corruption-watchdog-says-perths-lord-mayor-failed-in-duties-over-olympics-trip|accessdate=7 April 2017|location=London|work=The Guardian|date=5 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Foster|first1=Brendan|title=Who is keeping Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi accountable?|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/who-is-keeping-perth-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-accountable-20160315-gnjmcz.html|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=15 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Titelius|first1=Regina|title=State to probe Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, City of Perth council|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/state-to-probe-perth-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-city-of-perth-council/news-story/baf3eb7df84897d9e0eda37485e5085f|accessdate=7 April 2017|work=The Sunday Times|date=19 March 2017|location=Perth, WA}}</ref>

In 2016, Scaffidi insulted journalist Liam Bartlett on social media by referring to his "bad breath and Botox" and was criticised by journalists for refusing to answer his questions about the undeclared travel and gifts while the matter was before the State Administrative Tribunal. Bartlett had earlier "gatecrashed" the opening of the A$60m City of Perth Library, a Scaffidi Mayoral project and at which Scaffidi was speaking, and had followed her with a microphone, across traffic on St Georges Tce. to Council House.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/who-is-keeping-perth-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-accountable-20160315-gnjmcz.html|title=Who is keeping Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi accountable?|last=Foster|first=Brendan|date=15 March 2016|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2017-05-10|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-lord-mayor-loses-cool-on-facebook-over-more-alleged-undeclared-travel-20160315-gnj70g.html|title=Perth Lord Mayor loses cool on Facebook over more alleged undeclared travel|last=Foster|first=Brendan|date=15 March 2016|work=WA Today|access-date=2017-05-10|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Further investigation and suspension==

In May 2017 Western Australia's State Administrative Tribunal ruled that Scaffidi had committed 45 "serious breaches" of local government laws by failing to disclose gifts and overseas travel. The tribunal had the power to disqualify her from office for up to five years. In the previous month Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan called on Scaffidi to step aside and stated that he would look at the means to sack the lord mayor if she did not resign. He also called on the City of Perth councillors to move a motion of no confidence in the lord mayor, however this did not occur and, regardless, such motions carry no penalty. A letter from the Premier to the Lord Mayor, calling on Scaffidi to resign, was provided to journalists prior to it being received by the Lord Mayor.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-09/perth-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-breached-government-laws-tribunal/8509794|title=Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi found by SAT to have breached local government laws |date=9 May 2017|work=ABC News |first1=Joanna|last1=Menagh |first2=Jacob|last2=Kagi |access-date=6 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/local-government/perths-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-guilty-of-breaching-local-government-act-ng-b88469950z|title=Lisa Scaffidi's future in doubt after guilty finding|first1=Tim |last1=Clarke|date=9 May 2017|work=The West Australian|access-date=10 May 2017}}</ref> On 8 September, Scaffidi agreed to step aside pending a court appeal into the ruling.<ref name="stepaside">{{cite news|title=Besieged Perth lord mayor steps aside|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/besieged-perth-lord-mayor-steps-aside/news-story/6a9b497182709950a7ab8a384d5d2d34|accessdate=2 January 2018|work=The Australian|date=8 September 2017}}</ref>

In early December 2017, the Court of Appeal set aside the Tribunal's orders, and Scaffidi announced that she would return to her statutory duties on 8 January 2018.

The Court subsequently dismissed 26 "serious breaches", noting the signal failure of the Tribunal to find according to law.<ref name="return">{{cite news|title=Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi announces return to office|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-21/perth-lord-mayor-lisa-scaffidi-announces-her-return-to-council/9280256|accessdate=2 January 2018|work=ABC News|date=21 December 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref>

On 2 March 2018, the Minister for Local Government, David Templeman, indefinitely suspended the entire City of Perth council, including Scaffidi, while a government-appointed panel investigated its operation and conduct. The move came after years of infighting between factions on council, but not before the City's Administration wrote to the Director General of the Dept. Of Local Government, seeking urgent assistance to deal with the ongoing destabilisation and "incipient dysfunction" of Council. The panel was to make a recommendation as to whether the council should be permanently sacked. Government-appointed commissioners oversaw the City's operations while the investigation was underway. As the Inquiry took over 2 years to complete, rather than its estimated 9 to 12 months, the terms of all Councillors expired and new elections were held.<ref name="suspension2">{{cite news|title=Years of scandal, infighting culminate in Perth City Council suspension|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-02/perth-city-council-suspended-after-years-of-infighting/9502928|accessdate=28 March 2018|work=ABC News|date=2 March 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref>

In October 2019, Scaffidi's term as Lord Mayor expired and the office was declared vacant until new elections were scheduled and held in October 2020. TV personality Basil Zempilas was elected Lord Mayor and, to date, no suspended Councillor has been re-elected to Council, despite their nomination.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 2020 Election |url=https://www.perth.wa.gov.au/live-and-work/elections/the-2020-election |website=City of Perth |accessdate=18 September 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *''West Weekend Magazine'' (''West Australian newspaper''), 27 October 2007. pp.&nbsp;8–10 * {{cite news|last1=Benda|first1=Danielle|title=City Slicker |url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/city-slicker/news-story/2be977480b59dae752d72b6f54ef69f4 |accessdate=7 April 2017|work=The Sunday Times|date=16 June 2007 |location=Perth, WA}}

{{s-start}} {{succession box|title=Lord Mayor of Perth|years=2007–2018|before=Peter Nattrass|after=Basil Zempilas}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scaffidi, Lisa}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Mayors and lord mayors of Perth, Western Australia Category:Women mayors of places in Perth, Western Australia Category:People educated at Methodist Ladies' College, Perth Category:Curtin University alumni