Greens NSW spokesperson on local government is calling on councillors across NSW to fully disclose the details of their property portfolios.
Under the NSW Government’s disclosure rules the street address for a principal place of residence can be redacted from councillors’ annual disclosures, but street addresses of properties that are not the principal place of residence should not be redacted unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
Some councils are redacting the addresses of councillors’ entire property portfolios, preventing oversight on potential conflicts of interests.
Jamie Parker, Greens NSW spokesperson on local government says:
“Decisions around property, development and rezoning at a local government level are a huge corruption risk and we need councils to be proactive on the side of the public interest.
“Councillors should be doing everything possible to increase transparency, be clear about conflicts of interest and make sure they are recusing themselves when necessary.
“If a councillor is hiding the details of their property portfolio, with the help of their council, residents are right to feel suspicious.
“Allowing councillors to keep the details of their property portfolios secret from the public creates a huge corruption risk,” he says.
Phil Bradley, Paramatta Greens Councillor:
“There is no reason the details of a councillors’ property portfolio should be kept secret from the public, especially if that councillor is taking decisions about development and rezoning.
“The public can’t have oversight over the decisions of councillors if they don’t have all the information.
Friday, 25 November 2022
Ends.
