A western suburbs MP has been accused of trying to undermine a review into Sunbury’s planned secession from Hume after calling for transition auditor John Watson to be sacked.
Speaking in State Parliament on Tuesday, Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn called on Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins to get rid of Mr Watson.
Mr Finn claimed Mr Watson had ‘‘made it very clear to a number of people that he does not support the establishment of a Sunbury city council’’.
Mr Watson and Frank Vincent, a former judge of the Supreme Court, were appointed by the state government in March with a brief to review Sunbury’s planned split from Hume.
The former Liberal government had gazetted papers for the creation of a new Sunbury council to start on July 1 this year.
‘‘As a resident of Sunbury, [Mr Watson] is entitled to his opinion,’’ Mr Finn said.
‘‘But as a transition auditor, he is not entitled to go into that position with a pre-established view, particularly in the case of a situation where I understand we are looking at a review of the decision-making process.
‘‘As long as Mr Watson is involved, the whole process is under a cloud.’’
Ms Hutchins said she had full confidence in Mr Watson. “The previous Liberal government and Bernie Finn carelessly pushed through a plan for the split without resolving issues with services and staff,’’ she said. ‘‘Rather than representing what his constituents want, [Mr Finn is] more interested in derailing Labor’s efforts to get it right.’’
Mr Watson and Mr Vincent said any decision about the separation process was not theirs to make. ‘‘We are approaching this in a professional manner,’’ Mr Watson said.
‘‘The information is not ours, we are simply making the information readily available to the community. They will make comment to us and, in due course, we will make a recommendation to the minister.’’
Mr Watson and Mr Vincent will begin meeting with members of the public and taking submissions from this week. A public information forum will be held at Sunbury Memorial Hall on July 24. The auditors are due to report back by the end of August.
