In an outcome nobody could have predicted, a full public inquiry into Liverpool Council will go ahead, but so will the council election on September 14.
A deal was agreed on between council and the state government to allow both the inquiry and the election to go ahead.
Council agreed to withdraw its appeal against the court decision which found against it.
For its part, the state government agreed to put aside plans to sack the council and appoint an administrator during the course of the public enquiry.
In a media statement last night, the state government said “there will be no further delays to interrogating the evidence of serious maladministration and dysfunction inside Liverpool City Council with a public inquiry to proceed urgently’’.
“Aggressive legal tactics from Liverpool Council have effectively run out the clock on my statutory powers to consider whether to suspend the council or defer the elections,’’ said Ron Hoenig, the minister for local government.
“The Mayor has spent huge amounts of ratepayer funds challenging the public inquiry and the original notice of intent in the Land and Environment Court.
“Despite losing the overwhelming majority of their case in the ruling by Justice Robson, Liverpool Council has then decided to continue spending ratepayers’ money through the Court of Appeal. What would be next, the High Court?
“Reaching a settlement today means the public inquiry is full steam ahead urgently.
“We’ve run out of time, it’s that simple.
“I remain extremely concerned by the information uncovered during the early stages of the investigations. It’s some of the worst I’ve seen in more than 30 years in local government.
“I am solely focused on ensuring the serious concerns of maladministration and dysfunction are aired fully and transparently in the public inquiry.”
Acting Liverpool Council CEO Jason Breton said the outcome of the settlement with the minister was “a good development for the ratepayers of Liverpool”.
“Council always wanted to ensure the election goes ahead for two reasons: so the voters of Liverpool do not lose their voting rights and Council does not forfeit the $1.8 million cost of staging the poll,’’ he said.
“It’s a double win for the residents and ratepayers – their right to vote is not taken away and ratepayers are not burdened with paying for an election that would otherwise been denied them.’’
The train wreck has happened and the sooner this council is sent to the scrap heap of stupidity the better.
The perversity goes on..
A Labor Minister initiates Inquiry, with adverse findings against a Liberal controlled Council. On its findings, Justice demands the whole of Council be sacked and imminent Elections cancelled.
Not so.. there is political advantage for the Minister’s Labor Party over the disgraced Liberals..
Political Party interests 1st.. justice a far last.