The South Australian Government has abandoned its investigation into Burnside Council, having spent $1.5 million on it over the past two years.

 

Local Government Minister Russell Wortley announced in Parliament that the inquiry report would not be released, saying it was “not in the public interest” for the government to pursue the investigation further.

 

The former Auditor-General, Ken McPherson, was appointed in 2009 to conduct an independent inquiry into allegations on the conduct of council members.

 

A Supreme Court judgment last month found it was "in the public interest Mr MacPherson complete his inquiry and report to the Minister, as soon as practicable". However, following legal action by six councillors, the report was suppressed.

 

Mr Wortley said it would be "irresponsible" to continue with the report.

 

"The draft report would require extensive revision to exercise those areas related to the terms of reference ruled invalid before a final report can be published," he said. "Based on advice available to me, and having regard to the public interest, I have decided the inquiry should not proceed."

 

Mr Wortley and the President of the Local Government Association Mayor Kym McHugh, have agreed to work together on “progressing lessons learnt from the Burnside inquiry”.

 

"Both Mayor McHugh and I agree that beyond the Burnside Council matters there are a number of issues that need to be addressed in relation to our system of Local Government in South Australia," Mr Wortley said.

 

"These issues include the way in which the Local Government Act enables Councils to deal with elected members' conduct, and the ability of Councils to manage friction among elected members so that the proper business of Local Government is not disrupted. 

 

"I look forward to closely working with the LGA to address these issues. It is in everybody's interest that the decision to initiate an investigation of a Council be taken away from the political arena and placed in the hands of an independent authority.

 

"These are issues that quite appropriately are being considered by the Attorney-General as part of the work being carried out to create a new Office of Public Integrity.