A southwestern Sydney council has voted to pursue a legal challenge against the New South Wales government through the Supreme Court in response to plans to suspend it and postpone its election. Liverpool Council has been given until Thursday to prove why it shouldn't be suspended, following an interim report alleging serious concerns about dysfunction, including "bullying, intimidation, and sexual harassment." A majority of councillors voted today to challenge the government's public inquiry.
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00:00The clock is ticking for Liverpool City Council, given until Thursday by the state government
00:07to respond to damning allegations or face suspension.
00:11This is a completely politically motivated attack from a Labor government on a Liberal
00:16mayor and a Liberal majority council.
00:18At a meeting today, the council deciding to fight the state government in the courts.
00:24We have staff members who have been named in that report and did not even have an opportunity
00:28to refute any of the allegations against them.
00:31That report about alleged maladministration and potential corruption was released last
00:36week by the Office of Local Government.
00:38Today's move to lawyer up, leaving some officials disillusioned.
00:42I'm very disappointed that we're not going to be given the opportunity with the council's
00:48blessing for us to move forward to have those allegations fully investigated.
00:54I've been here long enough to see that this council is definitely dysfunctional and needs
00:59to be looked into.
01:01It's estimated ratepayers could foot a bill of about $150,000 or more if the case is unsuccessful.
01:08There's major questions that were asked of the council that I think ratepayers in Liverpool
01:14have got every right to have answered.
01:17But as a legal battle looms, the chance of those questions being answered any time soon
01:21look unlikely.
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