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The meeting was convened to discuss a Notice of Motion, which included a call for the suspension of the CEO. The reasons outlined in the Motion were based on incomplete information that was livestreamed during the Public Inquiry into Liverpool City Council. This inquiry is scheduled to continue in October and November 2025.
As a result, the majority of Councillors are unable to legally participate in the debate due to conflicts of interest arising from their involvement in the ongoing inquiry. Consequently, there will be no quorum until after the inquiry concludes and the Minister for Local Government makes a decision on the future of Liverpool City Council.
Given these circumstances, I suggested that the debate on the Motion, which has already been ruled illegal, be postponed until after the Public Inquiry and the Minister’s decision. Proceeding with the debate at this stage would be premature and deny due process to those involved.
This situation is similar to the one when the previous CEO was dismissed, a decision that several Councillors and I objected to at the time. That motion was ultimately defeated due to lack of support.
In this case, the majority of Councillors (7-4) supported the Motion I seconded. I believe that maintaining management stability is crucial at this time. Suspending or terminating another CEO would not serve any practical purpose and would incur unnecessary costs to ratepayers. It’s important to note that the panel responsible for hiring the CEO, comprising 2 Labour, 2 Liberal, 2 Independents, and 2 external Independents, unanimously agreed that the current CEO was the best candidate for the role.
For the sake of stability, I strongly believe that the current CEO should remain in place. If anyone disagrees, they should pursue appropriate legal channels, such as submitting concerns to the NSW Electoral Commission, the ICAC, the Office of Local Government (OLG), or the State Ombudsman for investigation.
Unfortunately, a great deal of politically motivated misinformation and biased content is being spread on social media, especially across various Facebook pages. Many of the posts come from individuals with limited understanding of the issues, while others are simply driven by emotion, exaggeration, or personal and political gain.
As an elected Councillor, I remain committed to fulfilling my duties in the best interests of the community, and I will continue to support fellow Councillors who share this approach. I will not, however, align myself with those driven by political agendas.
Councillor Peter Harle JP
15th October 2025
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