THE Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has cleared Wingecarribee Council of any corrupt conduct for the 17th time in three years, according to general manager Mike Hyde.
Mr Hyde received a letter from ICAC in late February stating that enquiries had been completed.
“Given that there is no information to suggest a likelihood of corrupt conduct, the ICAC has determined not to take any action,” the letter stated.
Mr Hyde was at pains to stress that ICAC had conducted an enquiry, not an investigation, which has more serious ramifications.
An ICAC spokesperson would not comment on whether 17 enquiries in three years was unusual for a local council.
The public announcement by ICAC that Council had nothing to answer for follows a visit by its representative Lewis Rangott, where former deputy mayor Nick Campbell-Jones asked if ICAC publicly acknowledged if an enquiry or investigation bore no fruit.
The man at the centre of making the most recent complaints to ICAC, Councillor Jim Mauger, is demanding to know why he was singled out in a recent Council media release.
“I wasn’t the only one. I thought going to ICAC was confidential,” he said.
In August last year Mr Hyde reported an allegation of corruption against the previous council by Cr Mauger, the release stated.
Cr Mauger is reported as saying that he knew of several other complaints being made, and said he had held several lengthy conversations with ICAC representatives as they sought “explanations and further information”.
The Robertson resident felt ostracised for whistle blowing but said he had community support.
“I came back to office with an increased majority. I have the support to keep the bastards honest,” he said.
Cr Mauger said he wasn’t losing any sleep over being named as making allegations to ICAC.
A source told the News that some of the allegations may have been related to a proposed crematorium in Moss Vale that never entuated and building approvals on flood prone land at Burradoo.
Mr Campbell-Jones said it was unfair that accusations could be made without anyone knowing about it and it was important that the public knew ICAC found no corruption at Moss Vale.
“People shouldn’t be able to throw mud like this and get away with it,” he said.
While conceding accusations were always going to be made, Mr Campbell-Jones said it was different when it was a councillor making them. He added that accusations against staff made it hard for them to defend themselves.
Cr Mauger and Mr Campbell-Jones rarely saw eye-to-eye during the last year of the previous council, with Campbell-Jones saying Cr Mauger should “put up or shut up” at one stage over the ICAC allegations.
Mayor Duncan Gair said that while he was pleased that ICAC had made enquiries into the allegations and had found no evidence of corrupt conduct, he was concerned councillors felt they had to contact the ICAC in relation to council issues.
“I thank the ICAC for looking at this allegation and now hope we can move on to serve the residents of the shire without being distracted by disappointing clouds of distrust hanging over our heads,” he said.
“I think it’s one of those things that then tarnishes the entire council with a brush, and I don’t like the thought that this council would be part of any form of allegation that would be taken to ICAC.”
The mayor said Cr Mauger’s allegations were the only ones he was aware of and stressed he wanted the council to move forward.
“This enquiry has no bearing on the new council and no complaint have been made in relation to decisions by this Council,” Cr Gair said.
FORMER Wingecarribee Councillor Malcolm Murray has called on current councillor Jim Mauger to resign after ICAC cleared Wingecarribee Council of any corrupt conduct last month.
Cr Mauger was named in a Council media release this week as a source of some of the allegations.
Mr Murray said Cr Mauger used the innuendo of corrupt behaviour of himself and former deputy mayor Nick Campbell-Jones during his reelection campaign last year.
“Every one of his complaints to ICAC have come to nought,” Mr Murray said. “He didn’t care if he was smearing my name, there was no merit in his complaints.”
Mr Murray accused Cr Mauger of grandstanding.
“He characterised himself as some sort of corruption fighter. He performs no useful purpose at council,” he said.
“He’s an irresponsible individual, I don’t know why anyone would have any confidence in him.”
Cr Mauger fired back that when he heard of Mr Murray’s calls for him to resign on 2ST yesterday he thought it was a belated April fool’s day joke.
“He obviously has no creditability,” Cr Mauger said.
“He spent four times as much than any other councillor during the election campaign and he didn’t get half as many votes as I did.”
“I won’t be losing any sleep over his comments.”
Cr Mauger said he wasn’t the only one to make complaints to ICAC.
“What about the other 23 complaints that went to ICAC,” he said.
“It’s worse than sour grapes. If I was this person [Mr Murray] I would stay quiet and try again at the next election.”
Mr Murray said Cr Mauger had benefited during his election campaign last year by making the ICAC complaints.
“He is totally undesirable for Council and doesn’t deserve to be there,” he said.
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