Parramatta councillors say they're still in the dark about an ICAC raid on their offices last month. Several devices were seized just hours before a council meeting.
00:00Top of the agenda at tonight's City of Parramatta Council meeting will be answers on ICAC.
00:08Now, this reported raid by the Independent Commission Against Corruption occurred on July 14.
00:15What we understand is that staff from Council were reportedly involved in having their electronic devices seized by investigators.
00:25Now, as is the case with ICAC, we've got in contact with them to discern what this raid may pertain to.
00:33However, they've told us that they do not comment on operational matters.
00:37However, what we do know is that Independent City of Parramatta Councillor Kelly Darley will tonight be taking a motion to her fellow councillors to help shed some light, hopefully, on what this raid in July specifically pertains to.
00:54Now, as part of her motion, there are a number of conditions that she will set to Lord Mayor Martin Zeta and Deputy Lord Mayor Cameron McLean.
01:04Among them, first of all, that Council will be given a full legal brief on what this reported raid exactly pertains to.
01:13But it isn't just that.
01:14She's also asking for independent legal advice to be given to individual councillors, particularly around what their rights are in regards to this reported raid.
01:25But she's also asked Council to reaffirm their commitment to combating fraud and corruption.
01:32One of her big concerns is really the community outpouring that has occurred since this raid was first reported.
01:40Let's take a quick listen to what she had to say.
01:42People are coming up saying what's happening at Council.
01:45You know, I read about ICAC being there.
01:48People know that that's serious.
01:49It doesn't happen every day.
01:51And so people are concerned.
01:52They're worried what's happening.
01:54There's also been media reports about secret payouts.
01:57So people are asking, are they linked?
01:59And unfortunately, at the moment, I don't have answers for them.
02:03And so for me, it's about reassuring the community and being able to give them answers once we know what's going on as well.
02:09There's Councillor Dali there making clear that one of her big intentions from tonight's meeting will be to shed light on this reported raid for the broader Parramatta community.
02:23But it isn't just Councillor Dali who is concerned.
02:26We've also seen Liberal Councillor Stephen Issa file his own motion to tonight's Council meeting.
02:35He'll be asking a series of questions, particularly around what he's described as Council's crisis communication plan.
02:42He'll also be looking for further clarity on critical roles and backfill arrangements within Council.
02:48Now, when it comes to Councillor Dali's main motion, what she has asked for, which is that independent legal advice, not only for Council more broadly, but individual councillors as well, that must be committed to by Council before the 31st of August.
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