The NSW opposition has asked the Information and Privacy Commission and police to investigate the destruction of documents in the premier's office detailing $252 million in grants allocated to councils prior to last year's state election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sarah Lau, a senior policy adviser to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, last week told a NSW parliamentary committee she had shredded records showing the premier had personally approved $141.8 million of the council grant funding.
Ms Lau also deleted electronic copies, saying it was "normal record management practice".
NSW Labor on Wednesday confirmed it had referred the matter to the NSW police commissioner for a potential breach of the State Records Act, and to the information commissioner for a potential breach of the Government Information (Public Access) Act.
"These documents were shredded, deleted, important documents that implicate the premier in the rorting of this really important fund," Opposition Leader Jodi McKay told reporters.
"These were amalgamated councils, councils this fund was supposedly for.
"It relates primarily to the premier's office and the fact any document or matter that gives any taint on the decision she's making must be kept for the archives."
Office of Local Government chief executive Tim Hurst tabled documents to the NSW upper house inquiry about the allocation of the funds under the Stronger Communities Fund.
Mr Hurst found $141.8 million was allocated by Ms Berejiklian, $61.3 million by Deputy Premier John Barilaro and $48.9 million by former local government minister Gabrielle Upton.
More than 95 per cent of the $252 million was allocated to projects in coalition-held seats.
According to Labor, no formal brief accompanied those decisions, which should have obliged the premier's office to preserve the shredded working advice notes.
Former NSW auditor-general Tony Harris told The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday he believed the premier's office had breached the State Records Act in its actions.
Ms Berejiklian on Wednesday rejected Labor's claims, supporting her office team and saying she had no involvement in the shredding of the documents.
"I'm advised my office fully complied with all matters of the State Records Act ... I expect my office and every other office to comply," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.
"It's not my position to be (across) that. I'm the premier of this state, I have multiple responsibilities on a daily basis and my expectation is that at all times the proper procedures are followed, not just in my office but across government."
Ms McKay also said she supported the lodgement of class actions against the government by affected councils, but said NSW Labor would not play a role in the process.
Australian Associated Press
