Media Releases

4 May 2016

Hurstville City Councillor Con Hindi, has been reprimanded and suspended from civic office for misconduct.
The Office of Local Government’s Acting Chief Executive made the decision after considering a departmental report that found Clr Con Hindi engaged in misconduct within the meaning of section 440F of the Act and that a reprimand and a period of suspension was warranted.
The Acting Chief Executive found that Clr Hindi had breached Hurstville Council’s code of conduct by:

• reporting or otherwise disclosing information about allegations concerning Hurstville Council’s General Manager, Victor Lampe, during the council’s ordinary meeting on 20 May 2015
• reporting or otherwise disclosing information about allegations concerning Mr Lampe at Council’s extraordinary meeting on 25 May 2015
• raising allegations concerning Mr Lampe with other councillors in breach of clauses 8.11 and 8.12 of council’s code of conduct.

The Acting Chief Executive has accordingly determined, by Order, to:

• reprimand Clr Hindi under section 440I(2)(b) of the Act
• suspend Clr Hindi from civic office for a period of two months under section 440I(2)(g), commencing on 10 May 2016 and ending on 9 July 2016.

Under section 440K of the Local Government Act (1993), a councillor while suspended from office:

• is not entitled to exercise any of the functions of the civic office
• is not entitled to any fee or other remuneration, or to the payment of expenses or to the use of council facilities, to which he or she would otherwise be entitled as the holder of the civic office.

More information regarding the Acting Chief Executive’s findings and decision is available on the OLG website or by clicking here.
The departmental report was prepared for the Acting Chief Executive under Section 440H of the Local Government Act (1993).

MEDIA: Jacqueline Chowns 02 9289 4081