Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive John Langoulant has called on people found guilty of misconduct in the Corruption and Crime Commission's Smiths Beach report to resign in the Chamber's response to yesterday's hearing.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive John Langoulant has called on people found guilty of misconduct in the Corruption and Crime Commission's Smiths Beach report to resign in the Chamber's response to yesterday's hearing.
The CCC report, tabled yesterday in the Western Australian parliament, found sacked small business minister Norm Marlborough, three senior public servants and three shire councillors had engaged in misconduct when influenced by the former premier Brian Burke and business partner Julian Grill.
The pair were employed by Canal Rocks Pty Ltd, which wanted to build a $330 million project at Smiths Beach, in Yallingup, south of Perth.
"CCI is firmly of the view that the affair has caused untold damage to the credibility and reputation of numerous government agencies," Mr Langoulant said in an announcement.
"It is now imperative the State Government and Premier Alan Carpenter act swiftly and sternly to repair the damage and restore WA's business reputation."
Meanwhile, Property Council of Australia (WA) Executive Director, Joe Lenzo has called for the introduction of a panel of retained experts to determine the fate of individual development applications, rather than elected councilors.
"Concern with local government development assessment is the biggest problem in the WA development sector," he said.
"It is also a major national problem and most States are seriously considering or have implemented the separation of elected councilors from development assessment and installed expert panels, as in South Australia.
"Unless elected councilors are separated from the determination of individual development applications the elected members will be clouded by suspicions over their competency and objectivity."
The full text of the CCI announcement is pasted below
The Western Australian Government and Premier Alan Carpenter must take heed of the findings and recommendations contained in the latest report by the Corruption and Crime Commission if confidence is to be restored in the state's public service.
Already forced to sack a succession of senior government ministers, the release yesterday of the CCC's report examining the lobbying efforts of former WA Premier Brian Burke and his business partner Julian Grill provides further evidence of the extent to which sections of the public service and local government have been undermined by the lobbyists.
In total, seven past and present public officers have been found guilty of misconduct over their dealings with Messrs Burke and Grill in relation to the Smiths Beach development in the state's south west. Among them, three serving Busselton Shire councillors.
The state's peak business and employer group, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA, calls on those implicated in the corruption hearing and found guilty of misconduct to do the right thing and immediately resign.
While Messrs Burke and Grill were cleared of any criminality, the Triple C did find the misconduct of former government minister Norm Marlborough and two senior public servants stemmed from the requests or influence of the former Premier.
CCI is firmly of the view that the affair has caused untold damage to the credibility and reputation of numerous government agencies. The CCC report found "the actions of a few have damaged the reputations of public sector agencies built over many years by thousands of dedicated public officers who have acted with integrity."
It is now imperative the State Government and Premier Alan Carpenter act swiftly and sternly to repair the damage and restore WA's business reputation.
This is a report that can not be left to sit and gather dust, instead business and the wider community is looking to the government to show firm leadership on this issue and demonstrate WA's public service will exemplify the highest standards.
The report serves yet another reminder to all sections of government and the public service, deal with Brian Burke and Julian Grill at your peril.
The full text of an announcement from the Property Council is pasted below
The long-term solution to the problems with local government identified by the Crime and Corruption Commission in WA, is the separation of elected councilors from voting on approvals for new developments. Elected councilors should decide development policy however a panel of retained experts should determine the fate of individual development applications, according to the Property Council of Australia.
Property Council of Australia (WA) Executive Director, Joe Lenzo said the introduction of induction programs for elected councilors, proposed by the State Government, is a welcome first step in reforming the local government development assessment process.
"However the long-term solution is the creation of expert panels to arbitrate on development applications.
"Concern with local government development assessment is the biggest problem in the WA development sector.
"It is also a major national problem and most States are seriously considering or have implemented the separation of elected councilors from development assessment and installed expert panels, as in South Australia.
"Unless elected councilors are separated from the determination of individual development applications the elected members will be clouded by suspicions over their competency and objectivity.
"The Crime and Corruption Commission recommendations should be the catalyst for more far-reaching and effective reform of the development assessment process in local government", said Mr Lenzo.
