North-east Tasmanian councillors will remain barred from the council chambers for at least the next two months after ‘new allegations’ surfaced during the Dorset Council Board of Inquiry investigation.
Minister for Local Government Nic Street suspended all councillors at the Dorset Council in July last year after ‘governance failings’ were uncovered.
He has now announced that the inquiry will be extended until the end of April due to “a number of emerging issues” that require “further investigation”.
“The Board is currently conducting its investigative process which, due to the large number of submissions received and additional matters raised during appearances before the Board, is now expected to continue until the end of March 2024,” Street said.
“It is very important that the Board has the appropriate time to thoroughly investigate and consider all significant issues raised through its investigation before it reports to me with its findings and recommendations.”
Some of the concerns raised earlier in the investigation included potential ‘retributive action’ against dissenting individuals, ‘poor management of conflicts of interest’ and ‘operating without regard for the law’.
Commissioner Andrew Wardlaw is currently overseeing the council’s operations, while the council’s General Manager John Marik continues in his role.
