Burnside Council case exposes need for an ICAC
South Australians will be paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for legal fees associated with the Burnside Council legal case, yet again demonstrating the need for an ICAC.
Labor’s rookie Local Government Minister Russell Wortley must explain to South Australians why they must foot the bill for the Government’s mismanagement of the saga.
Not only that, but Mr Wortley must assure the public the $1.3 million investigation into the Council will be completed and released as soon as possible.
“Instead, Labor’s rookie Minister has gone into hiding on this issue,” Shadow Attorney-General Stephen Wade said.
“This is yet another embarrassing chapter of the Burnside Council mess under Labor.
“Today’s Supreme Court judgment in the Burnside Council case also exposes the futility of Labor’s obstruction of an ICAC.
“Labor has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and failed to restore public confidence.
“For four years, the State Liberal Opposition has been demanding an ICAC – Labor has refused to listen.
“One of the first priorities of an incoming Liberal Government will be to establish a broad-based ICAC.
“Labor needs to get out of the way, give South Australians the ICAC it demands and stop wasting time and money on half-baked measures.
“The McPherson inquiry was originally scheduled to take 12 weeks and two years later will likely cost more than $1.5 million to South Australian taxpayers.”