Sex, Lies And Videotapes: Inquiry Exposes Wollongong's Tawdry Underbelly

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday May 29, 2008

By JODIE MINUS

THE BACKGROUND

SEX, lies, bad guys and stacks of cash - the public inquiry into corruption at Wollongong City Council had all the ingredients of a Hollywood potboiler.

Over 12 days in late February and early March, the story unfolded in sensational style on the 21st floor of the Picadilly Building in Sydney's CBD, overseen by the Independent Commission Against Corruption's Commissioner Jerrold Cripps, QC.

Each day the characters assembled to play out the drama in flashback scenes, which took place at an array of locales in and near Wollongong.

Among them was the Mt Keira Scout Camp where the lovers hooked up for trysts, the Flame Tree Cafe where councillors met with a developer, a cafe in Appin and a kebab shop in North Wollongong.

On day one of the inquiry, Monday, February 18, the audience was introduced to the ensemble cast.

First up was the blonde femme fatale, Beth Morgan, a senior council employee who approved development applications while receiving fake designer handbags, perfume and kitchen renovations.

There were her lovers - the developers Frank Vellar and Glen Tabak - and a third developer, Michael Kollaras, who flatly denied he had sex with Ms Morgan.

Then there were the four councillors - Frank Gigliotti, Kiril Jonovski, Val Zanotto and Zeki Esen - who were all questioned about their contact with Mr Vellar.

The council also contributed key players: former general manager Rod Oxley and former senior manager Joe Scimone. Both were grilled on, among other things, their knowledge of Ms Morgan's relationship with the developer.

And finally there were the conmen, Gerald Carroll and Ray Younan, who added further tension to the drama. Especially when the latter absconded overseas and failed to turn up at the inquiry so that his only real appearance was in grainy, secretly recorded footage showing him accepting a case of Chivas Regal from Cr Gigliotti in a car park.

Within days the Wollongong show had developed a cult following as juicy, private emails revealed a long-term relationship between Ms Morgan and Mr Vellar.

The audience also saw how the conmen posed as ICAC officers and offered to rewrite a file on Ms Morgan in exchange for cash and sex.

On day three Ms Morgan learned her affair with Mr Vellar was not exclusive - the married man had a string of mistresses.

THE same day, Mr Scimone was forced to stand aside from his $200,000 a year job with NSW Maritime because of his ICAC "person of interest" status, and the following day three councillors - Jonovski, Gigliotti and Esen - followed suit, stepping aside from their roles at council until the inquiry was over. Only in retrospect did we discover they would not return.

Mr Oxley entered the frame on the Friday to face allegations of having a cosy relationship with developers but Friday being Friday, the inquiry was over by lunchtime, before he had a chance to take the stand.

Day six, Monday, February 25: former compliance and assessment manager John Gilbert told the inquiry Mr Scimone was a bully, as NSW Premier Morris Iemma told reporters his "gut reaction" was to sack the council.

On Tuesday Mr Oxley said he had dined on several occasions with Mr Vellar while his multi-million-dollar Quattro and bathers' pavilion developments were before the council.

We then gained an insight into that relationship when a phone-tap was played in which Mr Oxley said he would appoint "a more laterally thinking planner" to assess Mr Vellar's applications.

In the meantime, Mr Vellar spoke up about some more of his friends: Younan, who he had met up with in the Middle East; and Cr Zanotto, with whom he was planning to buy land at Fairy Meadow. Mr Vellar also revealed his other friend, a "little birdie", who had told him the land was to be rezoned for development.

A day later, on February 28, Cr Zanotto denied he was that bird.

After nine exhaustive days of the inquiry, Friday rolled around with a timely injection of humour at the expense of councillors Jonovski, Esen and Gigliotti. The trio denied they met Mr Vellar at the Flame Tree Cafe. Moments later taped phone conversations suggested they had.

By Monday Mr Cripps was convinced there was systemic corruption within the council and on the following day, March 4, the curtain came down.

The inquiry was formally over, Mr Iemma sacked the council and a panel of three administrators was appointed.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

Back to News Index | Back to Home