Central Coast Council Public Inquiry: Commissioner delivers report to the Local Government Minister

Central Coast Labor MPs have demanded the immediate release of the report into Central Coast Council’s budget blowout.

Central Coast Labor MPs have demanded the immediate release of the Central Coast Council’s Public Inquiry report.

It comes after NSW Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman revealed that Public Inquiry Commissioner Roslyn McCulloch had finished the report which was now in her possession.

Central Coast Shadow Minister and Wyong state Labor MP David Harris said the report needed to be released for transparency.

“Labor has consistently said there should be no considerations of additional rate increases until the community had clear answers about what went wrong with the council finances,” he said.

“Whatever the outcome of the report, the NSW Government has a responsibility after merging the councils to throw a financial lifeline to reduce the burden on our community.”

Gosford state Labor MP Liesl Tesch questioned why the report was being hidden from the community.

Gosford state Labor MP Liesl Tesch says the report shouldn’t be hidden from the community. Picture: Sue Graham

Labor MP David Harris is calling for transparency. Picture: Sue Graham

“After an unwanted forced amalgamation, three Administrators, and revolving door management more than eight years we have been left with higher rates, sacked council staff and our assets have been sold off,” she said.

“Our community deserves to know the truth about Central Coast Council. Until we get this report we cannot fix the problems of the past, restore the trust in council and move forward to make our community a better place to live.”

A spokesman for Ms Tuckerman has confirmed she had received the report however had not set a date for it to be tabled.

“The Minister is considering the detail and recommendations in the report,” he said.

“The Minister will table this report in due course.”

Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman is going through the report.

Roslyn McCulloch was appointed Commissioner of the Central Coast Council Public Inquiry.

During the Local Government Budget Estimates on March 8, Ms Tuckerman said she was doing her “due diligence around the recommendations”.

When asked if coast residents deserved answers she responded “Absolutely. I will be making sure that I am giving a timely answer with those considerations in place”.

The Public Inquiry has been underway since April 2021 when former NSW Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock ordered the inquiry and extended the suspension of the 13 councillors.

The council’s financial crisis broke in October 2020 and quickly resulted in the suspension of councillors and appointment of Interim Administrator Dick Persson AM.

Mr Persson soon revealed the council had an accumulated debt of $565m over four years which included $200m spent on the use of restricted funds.

The Inquiry has been investigating the embattled council’s financial mismanagement and ability to serve the community.

Central Coast Council fell into financial crisis in October 2020. Picture: Mark Scott

Public hearings for the Inquiry were held in October 2021 where Commissioner McCulloch heard from a range of people from ex council staff to suspended councillors, members of the community and local government experts.

Many of the councillors spoke of “red flags” such as a lack of handover when they were first elected, unnecessary spending, budgets being rushed through and the “combatic” behaviour in the chamber.

Some councillors indicated that dismissing all councillors had ruined their reputation.

“This is just patently unfair in the modern era for the Minister to, with stroke of a pen, dismiss this whole council and then the public has this view that everyone on the council dropped the ball and everyone trashed the reputation and the business,” Cr Greg Best said.

He called for the Commissioner to “delineate between those that called it and those that actually caused it”.

Protests were held outside Central Coast Council in relation to the rate rise implemented to help council out of its financial crisis.

Former CEO Gary Murphy said he had no idea restricted funds were being used in the council and when he became concerned with the financial situation, he immediately ordered an investigation.

Other witnesses spoke about the State Government’s lack of support for the newly merged council.

The Inquiry could result in a number of actions including the complete dismissal of councillors, referrals to the Independent Commission Against Corruption or improved financial procedures for the council.