Petition: Corruption Inquiry
March 20, 2008
Section: News
HELEN GOLTZ
“Corruption does not stop at the Windang Bridge,” Paul Matters, spokesperson for the community action group, Wollongong Against Corruption said last week after hosting a public meeting in Wollongong Town Hall.
“Although this appears to be the view of the current Shellharbour City Council,” he said.
The public meeting resulted in the signing of a petition calling for a royal commission into corruption in Shellharbour, Wollongong and Kiama.
More than 140 people attended the meeting and signed the petition.
Mr Matters said that despite the group being named Wollongong Against Corruption they incorporated Shellharbour and Kiama into their agenda.
“The Shellharbour City Council needs to be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
“A spring clean is well in order.”
Mr Matters said Shellharbour City Councillors were in short supply at last week’s meeting.
“Cr Helen Stewart attended the meeting which we appreciated,” Mr Matters said.
“But Cr Stewart was the only one in attendance. I am sure no Labor Shellharbour councillor would be seen dead at an anti-corruption meeting.”
Mr Matters said the next step for the Wollongong Against Corruption group was to picket the Member for Wollongong and Parliamentary Secretary for Health Noreen Hay’s office and demand that the current officials step aside from their positions given there was enough evidence to warrant this.
“We will also be attending Parliament on April 1 and protesting against being denied our democratic right to vote,” Mr Matters said.
“April 1 seems a very appropriate day for this.
“We would like as many Shellharbour residents to come and join us as possible when we march to Parliament.
“We intend to raise Shellharbour City Council’s atrocious record of lack of transparency in dealing with the public and developers,” he said.
Mr Matters said Kiama Council in particular needed the closest scrutiny.
“Matt Brown raised over $200,000 for an election campaign which we believe would have cost about $20,000.
“Therefore, we will be raising Mr Brown’s amazing ability to raise funds as well.”