Suspicions that all was not well within Wollongong Council were confirmed in 2006 when ICAC officers raided the Burelli street headquarters, locked council staff out of the building and seized files and computers.
As a result of this raid an exhaustive enquiry revealed corruption between the planning department, developers and Labor councillors, resulting in the state government dismissing the council and appointing administrators.
On October 8, 2008 the findings of this enquiry were handed down and it was recommended that charges proceed. There were twenty-four instances of corruption attributed to ten individual persons. The files were handed to the DPP for further action.
A year later - nothing has happened !
Justice delayed is justice denied ! It is a double edged sword.
The accused are walking free, but with the accusation of guilt hanging over their heads. While this remains they can not get on with the rest of their lives - and their status is " innocent until proven guilty ".
The eighth largest city in Australia is denied democracy because it no longer has an elected council to pursue the wishes of it's citizens. There is a strong suspicion in many people's minds that this lack of progress is political.
The corruption involved elected councillors of the same political persuasion as the state government. The council is now run by a trio of administrators appointed by that same state government - and all three have affiliations to that government.
Many people believe that no further court action has occurred because the government is hoping that citizens will " forgive and forget " - and not punish party politics when the city eventually returns to the polls.
For the sake of justice - and putting this unfortunate series of incidents to rest - these charges need to go to court, be heard - and punishment or acquittal handed down.
Anything less is just another form of corruption !
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