Texts reveal meetings of Auburn council’s ‘super six’

The inquiry into the sacked Auburn council has ­obtained evidence of councillors having discussions about land rezonings.

The public inquiry into Sydney’s sacked Auburn council has ­obtained evidence of the so-called “super six” councillors having discussions about land rezonings, “urgent” private meetings and texting one another during council meetings.

Council assisting the inquiry, Paul Bolster, has presented a string of text messages and other documents he says are ­“extrem­ely important” and appear to show a strong relationship between the six heavily pro-development councillors and senior council staff.

Mr Bolster said texts obtained from the phone of former Auburn mayor and councillor Ned Attie suggested close dealings between Mr Attie, fellow councillors Salim Mehajer and Ronney Oueik, ­Auburn general managers Mark Brisby and Peter Fitzgerald, and senior staffers Glenn Francis and Hamish McNulty.

Lawyers for Mr Mehajer and Mr Oueik — who were both property developers while also serving as councillors — fought against the materials being submitted to the hearings on the grounds they were not rele­vant, or would disclose unnecessarily personal information. Mr Bolster rejected those claims and said the material was “very important for establishing the relationships”.

When asked to provide an ­example of relevant text messages, he read out one message from Mr Attie, a councillor, to other friendly councillors and senior staffers.

“Gentlemen urgent meeting in the GM’s boardroom at 8.45,” it read. “Need to discuss the ­oregano effect and its stronghold on … council staff.” After reading the text message aloud, Mr Bolster told the court: “That is to Mr Fitzgerald Jr, Mr Oueik, Mr McNulty, Mr Dencker, Mr Francis and Mr Brisby, so I don’t need to say any more, I don’t think.”

It was unclear what was meant by the term “oregano effect”.

Mr Bolster also said messages from Mr Attie’s phone to businessman Warren Jack were very important and should be submitted into evidence. Mr Jack has previously told the inquiry Mr Attie threatened him last year by “insinuating” his “life was in grave danger” by claiming a man named “Zod” was going to go to his house and attack him.

The Auburn council was sacked in February.