Chinese whispers aired at council

Cr Funnell last night moved a motion to delay the sale of the land to ACA Capital Investments – believed to be a deal worth about $5 million – pending the preparation of a report addressing a number of perceived issues with the project.

He launched a sustained broadside at the trade centre in his motion last night, which he claimed was a “concept of very little substance”.

“I do not believe (this project) is about the benefit of Wagga,” he said.

“I will not accept that (due diligence) has been done.

“We need to have absolute accuracy and determination from the developer.”

Delaying the sale would leave question marks over the fate of the trade centre, with draft contracts for the sale having already been produced by Wagga City Council.

After robust discussion over Cr Funnell’s motion – which featured startling revelations from a number of councillors – fellow councillors Julian McLaren and Kevin Poynter moved to shift the meeting behind closed doors.

The motion by Cr McLaren, seconded by Cr Poynter, followed suggestions from mayor Rod Kendall that the meeting be shifted into confidential mode to allow key documents regarding the project to be viewed by councillors.

Emotions ran high over the proposed wholesale trade centre development at last night’s marathon Wagga City Council meeting.

Council sat for more than four-and-a-half hours last night with the large majority of its meeting dedicated to the trade centre proposal.

On a night of high drama deputy mayor Andrew Negline sensationally alleged that he had been contacted on several occasions by an employee of ACA Capital Investments with the offer of “support” to run in the upcoming federal election.

But the offer of “support” was never specified, with Cr Negline stating that he was never offered money as part of the deal.

“Terms like support and the use of words like ‘they’ were loose terms,” he said.

“But I have had no doubt in my mind that they referred to ACA Capital and their Chinese business associates.”

Cr Negline declined the offer.

“I was told that they had supported candidates at multiple levels of government in the past with successful outcomes,” he said.

“Their words, not mine.”

Cr Negline was directed to meet with a Chinese man in Wagga if he was interested in support, he has claimed, with a contact number supplied to him.

However, Cr Negline has admitted that the person who approached him with the offer is now denying any such approach took place.

While The Daily Advertiser understands councillors have been aware of the incident for some time, a number expressed their shock and concern at the revelations last night.

Cr McLaren expressed that he was “gobsmacked” by the revelations and questioned whether it was an issue that needed to be reported to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

But general manager Phil Pinyon told the meeting that based on advice he had received, such a report to ICAC was “not necessary”.