Hagarty, Kaliyanda welcome public inquiry into Liverpool City Council 18/07/2024 (See translation in Arabic section) Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l: The Member for Leppington, Nathan Hagarty, and Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda, have welcomed the Minister for Local Government’s announcement of a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council. The NSW Government ordered the inquiry after an interim report provided to the Minister for Local Government detailed serious concerns about widespread dysfunction and maladministration. The Minister has also written to the Mayor of Liverpool advising of his intention to suspend the Council and postpone the elections due in September while the inquiry is being conducted. The Council has been given seven days to respond. The interim report provided to the Minister forms part of an investigation announced in April 2024 under Section 430 of the Local Government Act 1993. The scope of the Section 430 investigation focused on recruitment matters including whether the Council had complied with its statutory obligations, if conflicts of interest influenced staff appointments and any other matters that may have impacted the governance and effective administration of the Council. However, investigators have identified matters sufficient in seriousness and volume to warrant an immediate public inquiry into the Council. The report details a number of areas of concern with regard to recruitment and staffing practices, procurement irregularities, allegations of inappropriate record keeping and widespread evidence of a toxic work environment. The interim report reveals a strong likelihood that there are additional issues affecting the operations of the Council that have not yet been identified. The report also outlines evidence of direct interference from the mayor and councillors in the assessment of development applications and other compliance and regulatory activities. The widespread and serious nature of the report has left the NSW Government with little choice but to intervene. Under Section 438U of the Local Government Act 1993, a public inquiry will now be launched into the functions and operations of the elected Council and the Council’s administration. Mr Ross Glover has been appointed as the Commissioner to undertake the inquiry. Mr Glover was appointed by the former government in 2021 to undertake the inquiry into Wingecarribee Shire Council. Should the Council be suspended, an interim administrator will be appointed to perform the functions of a governing body. Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty said: “This is a long time coming. The dysfunction and maladministration reported within Liverpool City Council highlight serious issues that need to be addressed urgently. “I welcome the public inquiry. It is a necessary step to bring transparency and accountability to the Council's operations, ensuring that the community's interests come first. "There are serious issues here that cannot be ignored. The detailed concerns about recruitment practices, procurement irregularities, and inappropriate record-keeping demonstrate a profound lack of integrity in council operations. "This inquiry is essential to uncover the full extent of the issues and to restore confidence in Liverpool City Council's ability to serve its community." Member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda said: “This interim report confirms what Liverpool residents have known for some time: that dysfunction at Liverpool City Council is widespread across the organisation and impacting its capacity to perform its basic functions for residents and ratepayers. “I welcome today’s announcement of a public inquiry. It is essential that these serious concerns are investigated to their fullest extent in an open and transparent forum. “Liverpool deserves a Council with integrity, that is squarely focused on the needs of our communities. I look forward to this process to help do just that.” Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said: “Communities expect their council to be operating with the highest level of integrity and in their best interests. “It has become clear that is not the case at Liverpool City Council and there is major dysfunction across the entire organisation. “These are very serious issues which are causing distress among staff and impacting the Council’s ability to deliver for its community, and they must be urgently addressed. “A public inquiry is therefore a necessary measure to get all the issues out in the open and start the journey of restoring confidence in the Council. “I want to ensure the Commissioner can oversee this inquiry without the politically charged environment of an election, which is why I believe it is in the public interest to postpone the September elections for Liverpool. “Liverpool City Council has a vital role to play in the development of the Bradfield City Centre and the overall growth and economic success of Western Sydney. “This action announced by the Government today is necessary to get to the bottom of some very serious and concerning matters.” |
