Community calls for accountability

This week’s letters to The Bugle address pressing issues of governance and transparency at Kiama Council, urging elected representatives to foster trust, accountability, and leadership as the community looks towards 2025.

Dear Councillors,

Hopefully this letter finds you fit and well for the New Year. It will undoubtably have some big challenges.

However, I am hoping that you all as the newly elected Councillors for Kiama can foster community confidence for 2025 by releasing the letter from ICAC detailing the findings against the three elected Councillors of our previous Council.

This would reinforce and display the newly elected Councillors commitment to transparency and fairness.

Regards,

V. Steele

The letter from former Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang highlights an uncomfortable truth about governance at Kiama Council. At the recent local government elections, I spoke with several councillors about the need for an apology to Councillor Lang. One councillor’s response was particularly revealing: they claimed they had acted on the information provided to them, presumably by the CEO.

This raises a critical question: who is steering the ship? Councillors are elected to represent the community, not to simply rubber-stamp information handed down to them. What steps have been taken to review the accuracy of the information they relied on, especially given the public fallout?

This isn’t just about Councillor Lang. It’s about ensuring that those we elect stand up, speak out, and scrutinise decisions that affect the community. Weak-kneed responses to flawed advice aren’t good enough. Ratepayers expect—and deserve—better.

It’s time for Kiama Council to reflect on its role, its responsibilities, and its accountability. Leadership means standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. The community is watching.

Alan Holder