A second resident has come forward to show their request for information from Central Coast Council resulted in the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) ruling that Council has breached legislation.
The IPC investigation pursued a complaint from local historian Merril Jackson, well known for her work at Gosford’s Poppy Park and Remembrance Day celebrations.
Her complaint is similar to the problems faced by Kevin Brooks as outlined last week. (See link below).
In both cases, the IPC ruled the complaints were “justified in full”.
Jackson lodged a complaint with the IPC in January after lodging a Government Information Public Access (GIPA) application with Council in May 2024.
The GIPA application was to obtain information concerning the heritage of the Gosford Library and other relevant Council reports and documentation.
The library building in Kibble Park is under threat, earmarked by council while under administration for demolition.
Jackson recently addressed the councillors’ library review panel, highlighting the pedigree of the building.
She said she had Initial concerns from the outset with her GIPA application when the Council referenced her lodgement date incorrectly and several Council emails were forwarded to the wrong email address, contrary to the email address provided on the application form.
Council then requested an extension of time to deal with the application.
In July Council returned the $30 application fee as it had not met the 20 working days timeframe outlined in the legislation of the GIPA Act but said it was still waiting for information from the “relevant business area” and hoped to provide a decision by the end of July.
But over the next months, repeated emails enquiring about the progress of the GIPA application and the anticipated date of release were ignored by Council.
After Jackson complained to the IPC, Council requested changes to the original scope of the GIPA request and is still to determine whether it will or won’t release any or all what has been requested.
Jackson believes the Central Coast community deserves and expects far better, as do all the honest, diligent and hardworking Council staff employed.
“From my experience, the Central Coast Council’s One Strategy ‘Responsible’: Good governance and great partnerships which states, ‘We’re a responsible Council and community, committed to building strong relationships and delivering a great customer experience in all our interactions’, is not what is practised in all areas of the Council,” she said.
“Regaining the trust and confidence of the people a Council represents and serves is paramount, and anything less has no place in the Central Coast Council.
“The council must engage in better practices and procedures in all areas of governance.
It is not the people’s role or responsibility to keep the council honest, transparent and just, as this needs to be an automatic and mandatory discipline within Council.”
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Read last week’s story on this same issue: https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2025/03/council-rapped-over-knuckles-for-breaching-gipa-act/
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