GYMPIE councillor Bruce Devereaux has dodged a bullet after the state’s council watchdog cleared him of an allegation he had used his official Facebook page to promote his own business.

Mr Devereaux, councillor for Division 4, revealed he was under investigation yesterday, after the Office of the Independent Assessor issued its ruling.

At the heart of the complaint were two posts he had shared of his Big Family, Little Income blog on his Bruce Devereaux GRC councillor Facebook page in August

Mr Devereaux has run the blog for more than a decade.

Some of the blog’s posts are paid for by sponsors, which Mr Devereux said in a post helped cover his costs.

Mr Devereuax said the OIA found the two posts were not related to council business and should not have been made, but it would not be a reasonable use of resources to pursue it.

However, the investigation did reveal Mr Devereaux had failed to change his personal campaign email address on the page after he was elected.

He has since rectified this error.

MORE GYMPIE NEWS

• Arrest warrant issued for disgraced Gympie builder
• UPDATE: More details released on Double Island Point death

Mr Devereuax revealed the investigation and ruling ahead of it appearing on the council’s online conduct register.

“I ran on transparency,” he said.

“I wrote to the independent assessor and asked them what I can say, and if I can release stuff.

“I would rather be upfront and that it comes from me rather than people having to discover it.

“There’s nothing wrong with getting a complaint, just be honest about it.”

He said the posts were meant to show he had “personality, rather than have it all be council, council, council” but “I don’t think I want to go there again”.

“Part of me is a little annoyed; I do like the idea that people know their councillor has a life and a family and what he gets up to,” Mr Devereaux said.

“But they don’t want that there and that’s fine.”