Operation Dasha public notice

Monday 26 March 2018

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating:

1. Whether between 2013 and 2016, public officials, including councillors of the former Canterbury City Council, Michael Hawatt and Pierre Azzi, the former general manager Jim Montague and the former director of planning, Spiro Stavis, dishonestly and/or partially exercised their official functions in relation to planning proposals and/or applications under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 concerning properties in the Canterbury City Council local area.
2. The circumstances surrounding the appointment of Spiro Stavis to the role of Director City Planning, including:

a. whether between November 2014 and January 2015, Jim Montague exercised his official functions dishonestly or partially in relation to the appointment of Spiro Stavis to the role of Director City Planning.

b. whether between November 2014 and January 2015, Michael Hawatt and Pierre Azzi engaged in conduct that adversely affected, or could have adversely affected, either directly or indirectly, the honest or impartial exercise of official functions by Jim Montague, the general manager of Canterbury City Council, by expressly or impliedly threatening to cause the termination of Jim Montague’s employment unless he appointed Spiro Stavis as Director City Planning.

The general scope and purpose of this public inquiry is to gather evidence relevant to the allegations being investigated for the purpose of determining the matters referred to in section 13(2) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988.

As part of its investigation, the ICAC will hold a public inquiry starting at 10:00 am on Monday 16 April 2018 at Level 7, 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

Persons claiming to be substantially and directly interested in this matter may seek leave to be represented at the inquiry, and are invited to contact Ms Catherine Ellis on (02) 8281-5999 to advise of their interest.

Members of the public with information relevant to the investigation are encouraged to provide it in writing at GPO Box 500, Sydney, NSW 2001, or by facsimile (02) 9264-5364. The ICAC will treat all information confidentially and has legislative powers to protect people who provide information to the Commission.

Roy Waldon
Solicitor to the Commission