ICAC probe muddies Canterbury Bankstown’s first local government elections
Six weeks out from local government elections, questions have been raised about whether voting should be deferred until an investigation into the former Canterbury Council is finalised.
The Express
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Six weeks out from local government elections, questions have been raised about whether voting should be deferred until an investigation into the former Canterbury Council is finalised.
Candidates have begun to emerge for Canterbury- Bankstown Council elections on September 9 — with 15 positions up for grabs.
Swirling in the background is an ongoing investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption into the former Canterbury Council.
In June last year, investigators raided council offices at Campsie and seized files believed to be related to planning matters handled by the council.
With no information on whom, if anyone, may be investigated, ex-Canterbury mayor Brian Robson said there is a cloud of uncertainty over candidates.
“Until the ICAC situation is resolved then no one knows who it is that is actually being investigated. Potentially all previous councillors could be under investigation,” Mr Robson said. NSW Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton did not wish to comment. Council administrator Richard Colley said: “It is not appropriate for me to comment on whether the NSW Government should or should not defer the election.
“The general manager and I are working very hard with the staff and I am confident, when the election is held, solid foundations will be in place for the new councillors to hit the ground running.”
Mr Robson will not be making a return bid at the council table, citing “family pressures” as his reason.
“After 17 years on council, it’s time to move on,” he said.
But Mr Robson said he believes the ICAC investigation is the reason the major parties have not announced their candidates yet — and it is cutting voters’ decision time.
“The community are not going to have a chance to assess the capabilities of candidates because of this short time period,” Mr Robson said.
Labor candidates for the Inner West Council elections were announced in May. Nominations for council candidates open on July 31 and close on August 9.
The Canterbury-Bankstown election will have three councillors selected from five wards — Bankstown, Bass Hill, Canterbury, Revesby and Roselands.
So far only the Greens have announced their lead candidates — Janice Hall for Canterbury and Emmet de Baldhraith for Roselands.
The Express understands the Labor Party have nine candidates for Canterbury and 10 for Roselands.
Four previous Labor councillors will make return bids, including ex-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour
The Liberal Party’s preselection process is expected to begin on Thursday.
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