A Message for the Community regarding the Commission of Inquiry Report

Published on 08 March 2023

It is with great disappointment that we confirm the Minister’s decision to dismiss the Moira Shire Councillors. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Councillors for their service to the Shire and their dedication to representing our community.

We want to offer a special thanks to Mayor Peter Lawless for his tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to the Moira Shire. We know that despite this decision, his passion for the community will persist.

In light of the report, our primary focus has been on the well-being of all our staff. We appreciate the members of the community who have expressed their concerns and checked in on our employees' health.

We also ask residents to keep in mind that the staff at the Moira Shire Council are also part of our community, and are hurting alongside us.

Like many of you, we find the report's findings to be concerning and confronting and have already implemented a number of measures to address them.

Our commitment is to ensure that staff feel safe and supported, and that our residents have faith in our policies and procedures.

Although the 9 Councillors have been dismissed, 240 Council staff remain working for the community.

While we don’t expect any changes to usual Council services due to the presence of administrators, some services may be impacted as staff take time to focus on their health in light of the Commissioners’ report.

We understand that rebuilding trust will take time, but we promise to work diligently towards becoming the best organisation we can be – honest, capable and reliable friends in our community.

Thank you for your ongoing support.