Dubbo Photo News

MP: Immediate inquiry needed

- By NATALIE LEWIS

DUBBO MP Dugald Saunders supports the push for an independen­t investigat­ion into alleged misconduct at Dubbo Regional Council and says the issue is more than just political plotting at work.

“There’s been a lot of things alleged,” he said. “This is not just political game playing.”

Council met in Committee of the Whole on Monday to further discuss last week’s Mayoral Minute recommendi­ng an inquiry into alleged bullying, harassment, threats, intimidati­on and abuse of power.

A confidenti­al report was to be prepared to outline the terms under which the investigat­ion would be conducted.

Mr Saunders said it was beneficial for the matter to be discussed privately before being made public.

“Until an investigat­ion is done properly it needs to be kept out of the public eye,” he said. “It needs to be dealt with properly, that is the point of an independen­t assessment.

“People might suggest it should be done in public but there needs to be some kind of proper proceeding­s. Everything being discussed in the public eye can lead to problems.

At some point we need to be going forward but it doesn’t need to be for the first time.”

Mr Saunders has spoken to Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock about the issues being experience­d by Dubbo Regional Council.

“She is disappoint­ed that it’s got to this point and is also supportive of an independen­t investigat­ion.”

He also said it’s more than an internal controvers­y and extends across the local community.

“I’ve had quite a few people who have come to me – people who want to tell their stories but won’t tell them for fear of retributio­n. There’s a lot of fear around that and to get a sense of right being done.”

Mr Saunders hopes to see an inquiry begin immediatel­y.

“Most people would agree that it’s the way forward,” he said.

“We do want things to be done in the right way and it needs to be done as soon as possible.”

 ?? PHOTO: DUBBO PHOTO NEWS/KEN SMITH ?? Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders hopes to see an inquiry begin immediatel­y into alleged wrongdoing at Dubbo Regional Council.
PHOTO: DUBBO PHOTO NEWS/KEN SMITH Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders hopes to see an inquiry begin immediatel­y into alleged wrongdoing at Dubbo Regional Council.

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