Mayor speaks as clock ticks
THE demise of South Gippsland Shire Council was the result of an orchestrated campaign by certain elements within the community, including the press, mayor Cr Don Hill said today.
He said the two reports that led to the Victorian Local Government minister calling for council to be dismissed in parliament today were biased or shallow.
He remained adamant there was no justification for council to be sacked.
Those reports were by the municipal monitor Peter Stephenson and the Commission of Inquiry.
“The commission’s report was written unfairly and without natural justice. We had no chance to respond,” Cr Hill said.
He said the campaign to have council dismissed began after the 2016 local government election and was spelled out in a correspondence received by an unsuccessful candidate at that election.
Cr Hill said it alleged that members of business groups, the press and unelected council candidates had joined to cause upheaval within the council and ultimately have it removed.
He said those parties made claims that were false and unsubstantiated.
“I’m not saying the minister was involved with the coup but he has enabled it to happen,” Cr Hill said.
“He let a democratically elected council, for no reason, be removed from the office because of false allegations of bullying and this orchestrated campaign has resulted in us being thrown out of office.”
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