An independent investigation conducted to examine the tender processes that led to Technology One becoming the Hilltops Council’s Local Government Information System (LGIS) provider has cleared the Hilltops Council of any wrongdoing.
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The Hart report released on July 26 said the accusations of Twin Town Times editor Matthew Stadtmiller were “ill-informed, non-factual, distorted and unfair and his reporting was “unreasonable”.
The report found that Mr Stadtmiller and 2LF radio host Neil Langford’s claims that council had mismanaged and participated in corrupt conduct through the tender process were nonfactual and “totally incorrect”.
Mr Hart spent two days interviewing individuals related to the selection of Technology One in the tender process of the newly amalgamated Hilltops Council. Mr Hart also made inquiries into the behaviour of Mr Stadmiller that Council staff believed was harassing and potentially threatening.
In the Hart report it states that Mr Stadtmiller was contacted seven times in an attempt to organise an interview but both he and 2LF’s Neil Langford failed to be interviewed - Mr Langford due to legal advice.
“In total, Mr Stadtmiller was issued with seven invitations to meet with the writer. However he made no attempt to respond to the writer by any means,” the report said.
“Hilltops Council had approximately 25 staff who as users of Council’s three current information systems (out of an end user population of 60-70 end users) participated in workshops to evaluate the three short-listed systems,” the report said.
“In addition, at least another 15 staff (senior managers etc.) were aware of some details of the tender process. This means that a significant number of staff were involved in one way or another in the process which led to the selection of Technology One which further reduces the Council’s exposure to a corrupt or defective tendering and selection process.”
Mr Hart said he found no evidence of serious misconduct by Council staff that could amount to corrupt conduct, serious waste and or maladministration of the tender process for the LGIS platform for Hilltops Council.
He went on to say Mr Stadtmiller’s conflation of what happened at Inner West Council (where the Council sole sourced Tech One) and his suggestions the same thing occurred at Hilltops Council was “disgraceful journalism.”
Rebecca Hewson
A local with a love of local news reporting for the people across the Hilltops and Weddin areas.
A local with a love of local news reporting for the people across the Hilltops and Weddin areas.
