The dispute between Dubbo's legal fraternity and mayor Mathew Dickerson about court sentences will continue to the formal complaint stage.
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Orana Law Society (OLS) president Andrew Boog yesterday confirmed it would press ahead with a complaint to Dubbo City Council about Cr Dickerson, who yesterday said he had not changed his views.
The OLS last month resolved to lodge a complaint alleging the mayor had breached the council's code of conduct for statements he made about Dubbo magistrate Andrew Eckhold, which it considered were "unjustified personal attacks".
Then earlier this month OLS representatives met the mayor, councillors and general manager in line with another resolution by the OLS.
Yesterday the OLS's decision to take what it alleged was a breach of the code by Cr Dickerson for among other things, "bringing the council and the office of the mayor into disrepute and failing to treat others with respect at all times as well as intimidation of a judicial officer" remained in place.
The Daily Liberal reported on October 15 that Cr Dickerson called for "cold, hard data on the sentencing regime of our particular magistrate in Dubbo" and said his job was "to represent the people of Dubbo and they are telling me the sentencing is too lenient".
Statistics contained in a national newspaper's report suggested there was no evidence Mr Eckhold was a lenient magistrate.
Mr Boog said pursuing a code of conduct complaint was a resolution of the OLS and the executive were now required to implement it.
"We will be implementing it in accordance with the wishes of our members," he said.
"I'm unable to comment at this stage as the matter is still proceeding."
Cr Dickerson yesterday repeated his earlier description of the meeting as "positive", but he said it did not change his views and that people were still approaching him and asking him to do something because the situation was becoming worse.
"The views of (the people of) Dubbo have not changed," he said.
Cr Dickerson said at the meeting with the OLS representatives all parties had been able to express points of view, although those were confidential.
"We sat around the table and listened, as you can in a wonderful democracy and in a mature, adult society, (and) it doesn't mean you have to agree," he said.
When asked if he knew if the OLS were going to lodge a code of conduct complaint, he said it was up to the OLS and he did not know.
"I'll keep doing my job and if it happens (I'll) deal with it then," he said.