Inquiry begins April 21

Richard Payne

The preliminary hearings into the Shellharbour City Council’s performance and councillor conduct will commence on April 21.

Dismayed that the initial preliminary hearing will be held outside the local municipality, Mayor David Hamilton has called on the Department of Local Government to ensure further hearings are held within Shellharbour city.

A Department of Local Government (DLG) spokesperson confirmed the preliminary hearings would be held at the Ribbonwood Centre, Dapto, after no suitable venue could be found within the Shellharbour municipality at short notice.

“Due to the urgency of this matter, the department needed to find a venue as quickly as possible and the Ribbonwood Centre was available,” Mayor David Hamilton said.

“It’s not ideal,” he said. “But our focus now needs to be on ensuring the formal public hearings are held within our local government area.

“Council has put forward a number of possible venues within our city, and I urge the department to consider these carefully and the message it will send if the hearings go outside Shellharbour.”

Mr Hamilton said the community had a right to expect the hearings would be conducted locally.

“I sincerely hope the correct decision is made in this regard.”

A DLG spokesperson said further public hearings would be scheduled after April 28, the closing date for written submissions, and that it was hoped these hearings would be held within Shellharbour provided a suitable venue could be located.

The April 21 hearing commences at 10am and is open to the public.

People who would like to make written submissions can send them to the Commissioner, Locked Bag 3030, Nowra NSW 2541, by April 28.

The inquiry will be conducted by former Bankstown City Council general manager Richard Colley and could lead to the sacking of all councillors.