Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun slams NSW government’s ‘political play’ threats to suspend council and postpone elections

One of NSW’s biggest councils has voted to stump up at least $150,000 in ratepayer cash to fund a legal battle with the state government after threats to suspend the council and postpone the upcoming elections.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun (left) and Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig.

Liverpool Council has voted to take the state government to the Supreme Court if it proceeds with threats made in the wake of the release of a damning interim report alleging “widespread dysfunction and maladministration” to suspend the council and postpone the upcoming elections.

The decision was reached during an extraordinary meeting on Monday, four days after Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig announced a public inquiry into the council following the report.

The report compiled evidence over three months detailing allegations of “senior staff in the development assessment department” putting pressure on workers to determine applications to “boost the number of determinations reported to the state government”.

According to the report, the assessment process was often allegedly “rushed” and applications which were likely to be approved, were “unnecessarily refused”.

Mr Hoenig wrote a letter to Liverpool’s Liberal mayor Ned Mannoun last Thursday advising of his intention to suspend the council and postpone the upcoming elections. The council has seven days to respond.

Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig made the announcement last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Mr Mannoun, when putting for his motion to challenge the state government, said the report was “flawed in numerous ways” and the timing showed it was a “purely political play by the Labor government”.

“Making this report 50 days before an election is completely undemocratic, the citizens have a right to choose who they want to represent them,” Mr Mannoun said.

“I am the one who caught more mud in this chamber than anyone else, and I am confident enough to go to the people because I know the people aren’t stupid”.

Mannoun along with a number of other councillors criticised the report for naming staff without contacting them for comment beforehand, potentially creating grounds for legal challenge.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun (right) voting in favour of his motion alongside acting chief executive Jason Brenton.

Liverpool’s general counsel David Galpin said the report could be challenged based on natural justice against the people named due to not providing them opportunity to respond and lacking legislative provisions for the interim report.

Mr Galpin estimated legal costs to be at least $150,000 depending on the length of the court proceedings.

Mr Mannoun and councillor Mazhar Hadid called for the matter to be investigated through ICAC, so possible issues of corruption could be looked into on an individual basis rather than “unfairly” accusing the entire council of wrongdoing.

“If the minister has the guts, name the people and refer them to ICAC straight away,” Mr Hadid, who is not against the public inquiry, said.

However three councillors voted in support of the investigation and felt it appropriate to suspend council operations, including the upcoming elections, until its completion.

Liverpool councillors (from left) Peter Harle, Betty Green and Karess Rhodes voted against Mayor Ned Mannoun’s motion. Picture: Inasha Iftekhar

Councillors Betty Green, Peter Harle and Karress Rhodes all emphasised the importance of reinstating the integrity of Liverpool council and addressing any potential issues identified.

“This is the only way, and if you have nothing to fear then this will be the way to clear your name,” Ms Rhodes said.

“Allegations in a process such as this will be made, that doesn’t mean they are true but they have to be tested.”

Acting chief executive Jason Brenton said a delay in the upcoming election would cost ratepayers in excess of $800,000 and sought advice from council’s legal team to challenge the report put forward by Mr Hoenig.