By Alesha Capone
VICTORIAN Ombudsman George Brouwer has praised the Brimbank City Council administrators for implementing recommendations he made after the previous council’s sacking – but lashed out at suggestions a decision not to prosecute those involved vindicated them.
Last year, all Brimbank councillors were dismissed and the State Government appointed administrators to govern until the 2012 elections.
In reports released last week, the Ombudsman said “all of my recommendations around revised policies, councillor training and the use of community facilities, had been implemented” by Brimbank City Council.
“I consider that the code and Councillor Access to Information Policy represent good governance practice in local government,” the ombudsman’s report said.
He also said the Minister for Local Government, Local Government Victoria and the Victorian Electoral Commission had implemented all the recommendations he made.
But in the newly-issued reports, the Ombudsman criticised “suggestions” from the Department of Planning and Community secretary that the decision not to prosecute officials named in the report, because of insufficient evidence to support a prosecution, vindicated “those against whom I made adverse comments.”
“This is not the case,” the Ombudsman’s report said.
“As such a decision not to prosecute does not mean that the individuals ‘did not do it’; only, that guilt cannot be established to the criminal standard.
The ombudsman wrote: “I was and remain of the view that the improper conduct at Brimbank Council reported in my May 2009 report occurred, and that the individuals referred to in that report were responsible for that improper conduct.”
