On 24 January 2020, the Crime and Corruption Commission's (CCC) Operation Yabber report was tabled in State Parliament.
The CCC commenced Operation Yabber to investigate allegations of corrupt conduct relating to senior employees and councillors at the Gold Coast City Council. The scope of the operation was wide and considered numerous allegations from multiple complaints.
Following the investigation, to ensure stricter governance and accountability in local government, the CCC is recommending amendments to the Local Government Act 2009 that will:
- clarify the responsibilities of mayors and councillors for the management of their staff/advisors and their adherence to codes of conduct, and
- ensure that mayoral directions (under section 170 of the Act) cannot be used to undermine the authority of chief executive officers to carry out their responsibilities.
No criminal charges have resulted from Operation Yabber.
The CCC’s report Operation Yabber – an investigation into allegations relating to the Gold Coast City Council is available on the CCC website.
