Is placing Council under administration not intervention?
I am offended by the disregard and disrespect in responses from the office of the Minister for Local Government Ms Wendy Tuckerman.
I am also appalled at disingenuity and apparent dysfunction in her office - but not surprised.
Her letter to me of July 15 claims that she can neither intervene in nor review council matters.
Yet she intervened by suspending (elected) councillors, sending the Central Coast Council into administration and appointing her own (unelected) Administrator.
More recently she or others of the NSW Government have allowed her Administrator to raise rates and charges within this Local Government Area - as well as continue to expend NSW Government taxpayer money.
The additional reply from her office of September 16 still did not answer three direct questions I asked of her regarding the accountability of her appointed administrator.
It is signed by the "Director, Sector Performance and Intervention" - yes, her director responsible for intervention.
How is it that placing the Council under administration and appointing an administrator is not "intervention"?
How is it that approving/endorsing/allowing her appointed Administrator to both raise local rates and charges as well as expend NSW Government grant monies is not a form of action in "review" of Council planning, processes or determinations?
What does the Director, Sector Performance and Intervention, intervene in if not operation and processes of the local government sector?
Does the Office of Local Government only take action after councils fail rather than take action - or intervene - to ensure that they succeed?
I remain determined in anticipation of direct, open, transparent and honest answers to my questions by the Minister.
SOURCE:
Email, 24 Sep 2022
Ian Weekley, Umina