Councillors raise questions over Withers group

Two Bunbury city councillors said it was dangerous to interfere with a State Government investigation after the council agreed to suspend the Withers Action Group from a council committee.

The council has demanded the group provide a number of documents and assurances of their compliance with the law before it can return to the Withers Advisory Committee.

The group has three spots on the nine-member committee which is tasked with bringing much needed improvements to the troubled suburb.

This comes after it was revealed the Department of Commerce had written to the group asking for it to prove it was complying with regulations governing incorporated bodies.

This letter was given to the council but was kept secret from the public.

However, during a heated debate Cr Michelle Steck said making the letter confidential was pointless because much of the information was contained in the agenda.

Cr Steck and Cr Karen Steele were both concerned about procedural fairness, saying the Department’s inquiry was just “questions” and the group was “innocent until proven guilty”.

Cr Steck said the move would set a troubling precedent and should be avoided by the council.

“You are setting a very new low for the council,” she said.

Cr Steele echoed many of Cr Steck’s comments and was concerned the council had been given a letter between private parties.

“Until we get a finding on the allegations then it is a witch hunt, ” she said.

Cr James Hayward, the chairman of the committee, said he was surprised councillors would be opposed to enforcing the standards of the council.

He said the move sent a very clear message to all groups that wanted to be involved with the council.

But he wanted the Withers group to solve its internal issues before returning to the committee.

“This is not a witch hunt and this is not about any personalities or persons, ” he said.

The South Western Times has been told about internal turmoil in the group that has no recognised convenor.

However, the group is set to hold an election to appoint a new leadership team on August 27.

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