Posted by reformwcc on December 30, 2008
Reformwcc Podcast No 1 – MP3 – Bruce Reyburn talks about events of 2008 and looks forward to 2009.
(Note correction – for Illawarra Enviroment Community Connection i should have said “Illawarra Community Environment Connection” – for more see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/i_c_e_c/ )
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Posted by reformwcc on December 30, 2008
“The best and worst of the Illawarra 2008
BY VERONICA APAP – Illawarra Mercury 29/12/2008
It was a year Wollongong will never forget. The biggest story of 2008 was one marked by greed, self-interest, scandalous affairs and shame.
But from the ashes of the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings into Wollongong City Council rose a spirit of community, teamwork, activism and civic pride.
It is these traits that the region has resolved to work on in 2009, according to community leaders.
The Illawarra Mercury asked prominent members of the community to nominate what the region’s new year’s resolutions should be, and the overwhelming response was to work together and present a united front in as many areas as possible.”
full story
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Posted by reformwcc on December 27, 2008
WCC Media release: Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Social Plan projects enhance city
Students helping design local parks and play areas are listed among the highlights in Council’s inaugural Social Plan Community Annual Status Report Summary.
The report is a community friendly booklet that highlights some of the projects completed over the last financial year to meet the outcomes of the Council’s Social Plan 2007-11.
As well as including a list of achievements from 2007-08, the summary document provides information on what Council plans to deliver to the community over the next twelve months.
Council’s Social Plan focuses on community needs, issues and aspirations and is based on input from more than 5000 people, including residents, representatives from community organisations and government departments.
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Posted by reformwcc on December 22, 2008
Council employees’ fraud concerns: report
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU Illawarra Mercury
22/12/2008
One in three Wollongong City Council employees believes fraud is rife in the organisation, a report has found.
Almost 36 per cent of council staff surveyed believed “fraud in management and administration is prevalent in council”.
Professional services firm Deloitte conducted the study in August, before the release of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s final report into corruption allegations.
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Posted by reformwcc on December 18, 2008
ABC 97.3 news item
“An investigation into the so-called Vella Mansions at Corrimal has found key documents relating to their assessment were removed from council’s files.
…
The report has found that information went missing across three separate applications, and that the missing information is the result of deliberate intervention, by a person, or persons, unknown.”
full story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/17/2449020.htm?site=illawarra
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Posted by reformwcc on December 10, 2008
ABC 97.3 FM “
A Wollongong resident is taking the New South Wales Government to the Supreme Court to regain the right to vote for a local council before 2012.
She says with the sacking of Wollongong council in March, and no local elections until 2012, she is being punished for someone else’s crime.
“The Government took my vote from me and I’ve done nothing wrong,” she said.
Full story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/09/2441417.htm?site=illawarra
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Posted by reformwcc on December 10, 2008
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU (Illawarra Mercury)
9/12/2008
“Wollongong councillors caught up in the corruption scandal may escape paying millions of dollars in legal fees, which could be funded under Wollongong City Council’s insurance policy.
The insurance policy offered blanket coverage for Wollongong councillors Kiril Jonovski, Val Zanotto, Frank Gigliotti and Zeki Esen, who were found to be corrupt by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, for their legal expenses now and into the future.
Criminal charges were recommended against the four councillors by ICAC and they are now waiting to see whether the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution will pursue charges.
If the councillors are prosecuted, the matters might take years to play out in court, with each councillor potentially accruing a hefty legal bill.”
Full story
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Posted by reformwcc on December 1, 2008
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