This is our Vault, it contains source documents and explanations of various issues
Here is the index, click on the item and you will be taken to the details on this page.
Mayor’s Travel Expenses ExplainedQuarries and our roadsSIG is a registered political party
GIPA applications (Coming - two are being processed, one is about an allegation that an email was sent (by a prominate ex-Councillor) to the A/g CEO promising him the role of CEO, the second is about some of the current councillors going to Bannisters on Australia day and charging the meal to the council, later repaid after I raised concerns)
SIG is a registered political party in NSW
This letter from the Electoral Commission (NSW) confirms that SIG is a political party, it also sets out that the NSW Government will be taking legislative steps to stop political parties using the word “independent/s” in party names.
Quarries and our roads
Mayor’s Travel Expenses Explained
Mayor Patricia White of Shoalhaven City Council has faced scrutiny over her travel and conference expense claims, particularly in light of the council’s financial challenges and recent service cuts. Expense Claims Overview - In the 2022–23 financial year, Councillor Patricia White claimed $51,244 in travel and conference expenses, in addition to her standard $29,035 councillor fee.
So we can grasp the extent of her travel claims - here is the OLG comparison site figures
Shoalhaven over double the next council (Byron) in councillor expenses and comes in as the biggest spender on Mayoral and Council fees.
Here is the spending from Patricia since 2012
This made her the highest spender among Shoalhaven councillors for that year, continuing a trend where she topped expense claims for six consecutive years. You can go and look at her spending here on the Council webpage
Council’s Decision on Expense Caps -Despite concerns over high councillor expenses, Shoalhaven City Council voted against implementing caps on conference and travel spending. This decision came after a six-week debate, leaving the existing expense policies unchanged.
Public and Political Reactions -The mayor’s expense claims have drawn criticism, especially when juxtaposed with the council’s decision to privatize its Family Day Care Services—a move expected to increase childcare costs and result in job losses. Critics highlighted that Mayor White’s annual travel expenses of $20,000–$30,000 exceeded the service’s modest deficit, questioning the council’s spending priorities. Additionally, during the 2024 mayoral campaign, outgoing Mayor Amanda Findley publicly questioned Patricia White’s financial expertise. This led to a defamation threat from White’s lawyers, further intensifying the political discourse around her fiscal management.
Current Status As of May 2025, there have been no formal investigations into Mayor White’s expense claims. However, the issue remains a point of contention among constituents and council members, reflecting broader concerns about transparency and fiscal responsibility within Shoalhaven City Council. A petition was presented to council in June 2025, there was some outrage from the non-SIG councillors after Clr Kemp managed to get the petition removed, a complaint has been made to OLG on this action. Watch the disgrace here on this video.
Data on Mayor Whites travel Travel Spreadsheet from GIPA 1 Travel Spreadsheet from GIPA 2 Overview of her travel since 2012
The Rick Steins Bannister Council meal - GIPA outcome
The AI summary of this is:
The email traffic regarding the Australia Day Dinner with the Ambassador at Rick Stein's Bannisters, Mollymook, spans from late January to late March 2025, with a notable concentration of activity following inquiries about the event's funding.
Here is a chronological summary of the email communications:
January 20, 2025, 3:09 PM: Melissa Perrin, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, emailed Peter Wilkins, James Ruprai, and Patricia White, requesting their dietary requirements and those of their partners for the dinner by January 23, 2025.
January 23, 2025, 6:26 PM: Melissa Perrin sent an update to Patricia White, Peter Wilkins, and James Ruprai, confirming the dinner booking for 8 people. She reiterated that dietary requirements should be directly advised to the restaurant if not already done. Importantly, she advised that "as per policy partners of council attendees will not be paid for by council," and that partners' meals would need to be paid separately or invoiced by Council later, with James Ruprai paying the initial bill. The dinner was scheduled for Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at 191 Mitchell Pde Mollymook.
January 28, 2025:
12:23:20 PM: Stephen W Prothero emailed Mayor Patricia White and Councillors, questioning if the meal at Rick Stein’s Bannisters was an official Council event and if Council funds were used, asking for full cost details, approval processes, and policy references.
12:24 PM: Councillor Selena Clancy emailed "Governance" asking who she should speak to regarding her meal at Rick Stein's, as she was told she would be sent an invoice for her meal since she would not be claiming it as Council work.
2:13 PM: Councillor Matthew Norris forwarded Stephen W Prothero's email to James Ruprai, stating he had been asked this question by community members and could not answer as he wasn't invited or involved, seeking clarification and advice on how to inform the community.
2:41 PM: Rylee Goodman, Acting Governance Coordinator, forwarded Councillor Clancy's "Meal invoice" email to Lisa Payne, indicating it concerned invoices being issued to councillors for their meals.
2:51 PM: James Ruprai responded to Melissa Perrin (forwarding Norris's query), clarifying that the dinner was part of hosting the Australia Day Ambassador and that Council covered the Ambassador's meal but not the cost of Councillors.
3:18 PM: Alix Gillett, Coordinator - Marketing & Community Engagement, sent Melissa Perrin information regarding "Hosting an Ambassador" from the australiaday.org.au website.
4:49 PM: An email from bannisters.com.au with the subject "Receipt dinner 28/1" was sent to Melissa Perrin, providing the tax invoice for the purchase made on January 25, 2025, totaling $1,072.62.
6:14 PM: Melissa Perrin forwarded Stephen W Prothero's original query to James Ruprai. She noted that the Mayor wished for staff to respond, and that "the only expense incurred by council should be that of the Ambassador and his partner," with councillors to be invoiced and then claim claimable amounts back. She attached the "Hosting an Ambassador" document and the itemised dinner receipt.
January 30, 2025:
10:58 AM: Lisa Payne informed Councillor Selena Clancy that invoices for all dinner attendees were being raised and would be sent for payment to reimburse Council for their meal costs once approved by the Finance Team.
12:20 PM: James Ruprai sent an "FYI" email to Melissa Perrin, forwarding his earlier response to Councillor Norris regarding the dinner arrangements and Council's coverage of the Ambassador's meal but not the Councillors'.
6:17 PM: Melissa Perrin forwarded the "Receipt dinner 28/1" from Bannisters to Lisa Payne for follow-up.
February 5, 2025: Invoices were issued to Councillor Selena Clancy for $163.00, Councillor Peter Wilkins for $94.00, and Mayor Patricia White for $186.00 for their reimbursement of the dinner costs.
February 6, 2025:
11:23 AM: Lisa Payne emailed James Ruprai with an invoice for him to reimburse Council $252.00 for his share of the dinner costs, attaching supporting documentation including a breakdown of costs per person, an invoice with allocation, and the full dinner receipt. An invoice for James Ruprai was also generated on this date.
February 10, 2025: Mayor Patricia White's payment of $186.00 was recorded.
March 20, 2025: James Ruprai's payment of $252.00 was recorded.
Comment on the "flurry" of emails after the Norris question:
There was indeed a clear and immediate flurry of emails after Councillor Matthew Norris sent his question to James Ruprai at 2:13 PM on January 28, 2025. Within hours of Norris's email, significant internal communications were exchanged:
Councillor Clancy's pre-emptive query at 12:24 PM (before Norris's email was forwarded to Ruprai by Norris) about receiving an invoice for her meal set the stage for payment discussions.
James Ruprai's direct clarification at 2:51 PM to Melissa Perrin (which included his response to Norris) outlined Council's policy on covering only the Ambassador's meal.
Alix Gillett provided ambassador hosting guidelines at 3:18 PM, indicating an effort to gather relevant policy information.
Crucially, the detailed dinner receipt from Bannisters was sent to Melissa Perrin at 4:49 PM on the same day, providing the exact cost breakdown needed for reimbursements.
Finally, Melissa Perrin's comprehensive email at 6:14 PM to James Ruprai, forwarding the initial public inquiry and outlining the Mayor's instructions regarding councillor invoicing and expense coverage, synthesized the immediate internal response.
This concentrated series of exchanges on January 28th, following the community and councillor inquiries, demonstrates a rapid response from Council staff to clarify the nature of the dinner, confirm financial responsibilities, and initiate the invoicing process for attendees.