A state politician has backed councillor Heather Wellington’s fight to publicly air documents regarding a planning decision.
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur supported VCAT’s recent ruling to allow the councillor to release an email sent to Surf Coast Shire about plans for a helicopter site.
Mrs McArthur commended Cr Wellington’s “perseverance” against what she described as “considerable hurdles and obstacles”.
“Local governments, like all forms of government, should be accountable and transparent,” she said.
“Cr Wellington was merely attempting to uphold these principles, yet she was met with intense obfuscation, investigation and antagonism.”
Mrs McArthur said Cr Wellington acted in the “best interests of her ratepayers”.
“Surf Coast Shire wasted excessive amounts of ratepayers’ money fighting Cr Wellington over the release of documents that naturally should have been publicly available,” she said.
“This ratepayer money should have been spent on essential shire services or not spent at all.”
