Calls to scrap a council-funded private security patrol in Truganina have reignited after the company contracted to deliver the trial was placed into administration.
According to the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), administrators were appointed to MA Services Group on 23 December, less than six weeks after the trial began.
The six-month trial was included in Wyndham council’s annual budget at a cost of $372,000 to ratepayers and began on 10 November.
While council has confirmed the administrators will complete the trial on behalf of MA Services Group, former mayor and outspoken critic of the trial, Kim McAliney, said she would like to see it cease.
“We continue to hear council’s core values of professionalism, integrity, and accountability. This moment presents an ideal opportunity for the CEO and councillors to demonstrate those values in action by rectifying a decision that has divided the community for many, many months once and for all,” she said.
“The Truganina patrols should never have proceeded in the first place, and the council now has a responsibility to acknowledge community concern and act accordingly.
“Every day this contract continues, many thousands of dollars are lost that the city and council can’t afford.”
Resident Dwayne Kelly said he would like to see council publicly disclose the rationale behind its decision to continue the trial.
“That is the first query that I have is has the total cost increased due to the company going into administration?
“So, I would like to know how they have arrived at the decision in terms of who, why and how they appointed this company in the first place, and why they decided to continue it.”
A Wyndham spokesperson said administrators Alvarez & Marsal will be providing continuity of service for all Wyndham security services, including the Truganina security patrols, and that council “will continue to monitor the situation.”
