Minister announces law to sack Ipswich council

The Queensland government will introduce legislation to dismiss Ipswich City Council and appoint an administrator next month.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said if the laws were passed, it would mean an administrator would be appointed until the next local government elections in March 2020.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has made a statement on the future of the Ipswich City Council.

Last month, Mr Hinchliffe again asked Ipswich councillors to explain why they should not be sacked or suspended, with a second show cause notice issued under newly expanded powers.

Local government reforms passed in May gave Mr Hinchliffe more powers to sack councillors and mayors, and dissolve entire councils, "in the public interest".

It prompted Ipswich City Council to head to the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the state government's show cause notice, with a hearing set down for July 31.

But Mr Hinchliffe said Ipswich people wanted to have confidence in their council and the legal process could drag out for years.

"There's been a strong focus on individual councillors but for me, this decision is as much about ratepayers and staff," he said.

"They want a council they can have confidence in, not one that's under a cloud amid dozens of criminal charges and costly legal proceedings.

"Spending endless amounts of public money on legal challenges won't fix the problem.

"This is about delivering certainty for the people of Ipswich - certainty is what they need, not to be held to ransom by a small group."

Mr Hinchliffe said the legislation, which was still being drafted, would be specific to Ipswich.

Mr Hinchliffe said for him the decision was as much about ratepayers and staff as it was about the councillors.

"This is not a threat to the broader institution of local government," he said.

"These are extraordinary circumstances before us."

Ipswich councillor Paul Tully slammed the move as "unfair and undemocratic", arguing 10 councillors had not faced allegations or charges.

Cr Tully said Mr Hinchliffe's two show cause notices had breached the Local Government Act and he accused the minister of thumbing his nose at the Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court hasn't even handed down its decision and the minister has already announced he will overturn any decision of the court favourable to the Ipswich City Council," he said.

Asked if there would be any avenue for appeal, Mr Hinchliffe said the Parliament could "resolve these matters".

The bill will be introduced and debated in the August 21 sitting of Parliament, with plans to have it passed that week, with an administrator to be appointed once the bill receives assent by the Governor.

Mr Hinchliffe said the administrator would not be a politician or former politician, and he or she would be supported by an external advisory panel.

Moves to appoint an administrator at the Ipswich council began in May, after mayor Andrew Antoniolli was charged with seven counts of fraud.

Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale has been charged with offences including official corruption.


 

 

 

 

5 comments

I wonder if anyone has been following this story. 

As an Ipswich resident, I feel appointing an administrator is the only way to go forward. I doubt we could ever have complete trust in the long-standing councillors, no matter how innocent they might well be.

However, I do feel sorry for the councillors who were newly elected at the last election.  They obviously have had no hand in any of this.

The article states that this will have no effect on any other local councils, but it does create a precedent I would think.  What do others think?

Ipswich City Council’s legal action in the face of a second show cause deadline is “not about declaring war” but “protecting other councils”, acting mayor Wayne Wendt says.

Mmmm ... how about protecting the long-suffering rate payers from councillors who have been charged with official corruption and fraud.

Bring in an administrator until the next council elections I think.

Tweed Council, just over the NSW border, was sacked in 2005 amid allegations of corruption.

Wayne Wendt is one of the 'newbies' on the Council, elected for the first time at the last election, so his hands are clean on this count, however, he's been around politics for quite some time.  He was our State member previously, in the Bligh Government.

I should add, I had occasion to call on him for some help with a State Government Dept once and found him very helpful.  That always tends to colour one's opinion of these people, so I'm probably biased.

 

I hope that sets a precedent..we are having similar problems with the Perth City Council..

The whole lot should be sacked..


Seems that many people wanty to sack some level of government, be it local, state or federal,.How many times have respondents to this forum called for 'sacking' the Turnbull government. While I am not cognizant of the current issues in Ipswich (last rtime I lived there was in the 1960s), I am always hesitant about sacking any (presumably) democratically elected government. The people get the politicians they deserve, If they are voted them in then they can be voted out at the next election. Is not that what democracy as about in contempory practice.

Funny you should say that Eddy, my partner and I were just discussing this over lunch.  I am starting to have a few misgivings about this myself and for much the same reason.

5 comments



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