It all started in December 2006, when an ICAC hit team raided Wollongong council. Staff were turned out of their offices and investigators seized computer hard drives and delved through council records - and then there was a long silence.
That silence ended in 2008 when a story broke that hit newspaper headlines right across Australia - and what a lurid tale it turned out to be. It had all the elements of a Hollywood soap opera. The cast of characters included a beautiful young town planner and a bevy of developers engaging in sexual trysts and gaining favours for rubber stamping plans for buildings that contravened planning laws on height and floor ratios - and zoning conditions. There were accusations of councillors seeking bribes and it was suggested that senior council management was complicit in lax supervision. The state government sacked the entire council - and appointed administrators.
The ICAC enquiry that followed was a revelation. It disclosed details of boozy lunches where supposed bribes were negotiated and this produced a litany of cross claims. The developers said council staff were the ones demanding bribes, and the council staff said they were offered money to look the other way. It quickly descended into unprovable innuendo - and then a new element showed that at least the crime fraternity is not without ingenuity.
It emerged that a shady pair of con men had represented themselves to some of those involved as undercover ICAC investigators - who could make evidence " disappear " - for a consideration. Money- and a case of expensive whisky - changed hands, to the amusement of those who were closely following this investigation.
The end result of this affair was disappointing. Only one person involved received a conviction for a minor matter - and served a mere four months in gaol. The broad brush of incompetence and deceit touched all of those involved, and the long suffering citizens of Wollongong put up with years of domination by appointed administrators - who inflicted parking meters on the city and seriously damaged the profitability of it's commercial centre..
Now - the final scenario has been announced. ICAC will not proceed with court action over the remaining charges - and the case is closed. It seems that the passage of time and the unreliability of human memory will make further prosecution " doubtful ".
A lot of people will breathe a sigh of relief. A heavy weight has been lifted and this city is again under the control of representatives voted into office by the citizens. The whiff of scandal and corruption is slowly fading - and events are returning to " politics as usual ". It's just a pity we are still stuck with those parking meters !
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