Waiting on judgement

Louisa Rust

Shellharbour City Council’s landmark court case against two of its own councillors concluded after a final two days of hearing last week, with the judge reserving his judgement.

The million dollar Land and Environment Court case is based on allegations councillors Helen Stewart and Geoff Rose were involved in the leak of confidential information about general manager Brian Weir’s remuneration package, contract renewal and a draft report, to a community website in 2006.

Justice Peter Biscoe described evidence presented in court against the accused councillors – which centred on records of communication between the accused, local resident Shirley Hollis and then website contributor Peter Holstein – as circumstantial or questionable.

Mr Holstein was considered one of council’s most important witnesses in the case, but reneged on previous evidence in court last month that pointed to Cr Stewart as a source of the leaks.

While Cr Stewart’s barrister argued that Mr Holstein’s original evidence regarding Cr Stewart was the result of pressure from ex-police detectives hired by the council, the judge instead suggested Mr Holstein was lying to protect others.

Cr Rose’s barrister argued that the case should fail given the evidence against Cr Rose was circumstantial, while the council’s barrister argued there were several clear and important points in his case, and emphasised the seriousness of council leaks.

The case ran for four days in August last year, was adjourned on the first day of a hearing in October, and ran for a further four days in February, concluding last week.

Cr Rose said he believed he and Cr Stewart would be exonerated.

“I feel that it has been a conspiracy since the beginning,” he said.

A Shellharbour City Council spokesperson said the council had no information on when the judgement would be announced.