Leppington MP Nathan Hagarty raises concerns over Liverpool Council management
Fears over a southwest Sydney council’s “political independence” has been raised by a state MP who claimed a “council within a council” has formed following a string of Liberal-affiliated hires.
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Fears over a southwest Sydney council’s “political independence” has been raised by a state MP who claimed a “council within a council” had formed following a string of Liberal-affiliated hires into senior roles.
Leppington MP and former Liverpool councillor Nathan Hagarty spoke of his “grave concerns” with the management of Liverpool City Council under CEO John Ajaka – a former Liberal upper house member – at state parliament on March 21.
Mr Hagarty said the council’s “pattern of hiring is cause for concern” as no fewer than seven associates of the Liberal Party and Mr Ajaka have been given “safe harbour” within Liverpool council.
Ajaka’s former parliamentary colleague Shayne Mallard landed the Director of City Futures gig in August last year which sparked preliminary inquiries by the NSW Office of Local Government, at the request of Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig.
A NSW Office of Local Government spokeswoman said “an investigation by the Office of Local Government is underway”.
Former Liberal Liverpool councillor Tony Hadchiti was employed as the Austral Delivery Coordinator and another former staffer of Mr Ajaka, Haris Strangas, was hired for a senior government advisory role.
Mr Hagarty said despite hiring Strangas, council resolved to spend $100,000 to employ an external consultant to lobby the state government for upgrades to Fifteenth Ave in Austral and Cowpasture Rd.
“The CEO and the council have no interest in advocating for Austral and would rather palm their jobs off to an overpaid lobbyist,” he said.
“That said, given Strangas’s title as a government adviser, what is Strangas’s actual job?.”
A further three senior communications staff members are former staff of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Liberal Ministers.
Mr Hagarty said the hiring concerns have been “compounded by reports of what some called a council within a council”.
“Councillors outside of that exclusive inner sanctum have reported to me that they are the last to know about major announcements, briefings and other critical information,” he said.
“I am sure it comes as no surprise to most that the clique is composed of Liberal and conservative councillors. That just does not pass the pub test.”
Mr Hagarty told parliament Liverpool council chief executive John Ajaka “continues to be a faceless man of the Liberal Party” after he was present at the Liberal preselection for former prime minister Scott Morrison’s seat of Cook.
A Liverpool council spokesman said the council and the CEO are aware of Mr Hagarty’s speech, made under parliamentary privilege.
“Council and the CEO consider all appropriate policies and procedures were followed,” the spokesman said.
“However, as the matters raised are subject to an investigation by the Department of Local Government, it would be inappropriate for the council or the CEO to make any further comment.”
Mr Hagarty encouraged those with “knowledge of wrongdoing at Liverpool council to speak up”.
A Liberal Party spokesman referred this publication to Liverpool Council and said it was a council matter.
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