More than 40 submissions have been received by the commissioner appointed to conduct the public inquiry into Blue Mountains council.
They include one on behalf of the councillors and one on behalf of council. Both of these were considered in a confidential session of council last Thursday.
One councillor, Greens Kerry Brown, voted against endorsing the reports, arguing that she had not had the opportunity to consider them.
Councillors could read the mayor’s submission on a screen during the session and were given an overview of the general manager’s submission but no hard copies were supplied.
Cr Brown said: “I could not endorse documents submitted on my behalf as a member of the governing body after a fleeting sighting of one on a screen and an overview of the other.”
A council spokeswoman said the submissions will not be released by council.
“The council’s submissions will not be made publicly available by council for the reason that the submissions have been invited by the commissioner for the purposes of the public inquiry. They will be addressed to him and will be assessed by him.
“If, after considering submissions, the commissioner elects to release them, then that is a matter for him to determine, having regard to his statutory responsibilities.”
The commissioner, Richard Beasley QC, is entitled to make public any written submission for the purposes of seeking comment from interested parties, according to an outline of his duties.
It noted that releasing any submissions “may involve weighing the likely public benefit gained from this against any likely damage to the reputation of individual persons that might flow from such publication”.
Mr Beasley’s “overriding concern” was to encourage people to come forward “in the knowledge that they will not suffer recriminations or other liability from or at the hands of third parties as a result”.
The commissioner will now consider all the submissions before deciding where and when public hearings will be held.
Those who made submissions could request that they give oral evidence and Mr Beasley will also be able to summons people to appear.
