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In March 2024, City of Nedlands councillors voted to appoint finance consultant Craig Ross despite an official warning that the proposed process might not comply with procurement rules. The available reports document that warning and the vote, but do not establish that councillors were found to have broken the law.
Why Nedlands received a disclaimer of opinion
The City’s 2022–23 financial report, for the year ended 30 June 2023, received a disclaimer of opinion after it was submitted without complete and accurate underlying records. PerthNow reported that reason in March 2024; the City’s later review, released on 18 October 2024, also described the incomplete and inaccurate records.
A disclaimer is not the same as a finding that councillors committed an offence. In this case, it signalled that the report’s underlying records were not adequate for the audit opinion being sought. The City’s October review described weaknesses in financial management and audit oversight that contributed to the problem.
What councillors voted on in March 2024
At a special council meeting on 20 March 2024, councillor Hengameh Amiry moved to appoint Craig Ross as an independent consultant. PerthNow reported that the proposed three-month assignment, costing $42,000, was intended to assess the audit findings and work with staff to address the issues. The motion passed; councillors Noel Youngman and Fergus Bennett voted against it.
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The reported alternative was to hire four additional accountants to catch up on the City’s finance books, at a stated cost of $142,000. The report did not give comparable scopes, timelines or expected outcomes, so the amounts do not show which option would have delivered better value or resolved the audit issues sooner.
| Reported proposal | Reported cost | Duration or staffing | Scope and outcome detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent consultant Craig Ross | $42,000 (PerthNow, March 2024) | Three months (PerthNow, March 2024) | Assess audit findings and work with staff to address issues; further comparable deliverables not stated (PerthNow, March 2024) |
| Additional accountants | $142,000 (PerthNow, March 2024) | Four accountants (PerthNow, March 2024) | Catch up on the City’s finance books; further comparable deliverables not stated (PerthNow, March 2024) |
What the procurement warning said—and what it did not prove
PerthNow quoted the City officers’ report as saying: “Council does not have the power to circumvent the council’s procurement procedures.” The article said the City’s policy required at least three quotes and aimed for a process that was open, fair and transparent.
Acting chief executive Tony Free told councillors: “The advice is that we don’t believe it does comply with the regulations which must be a risk to council.” That is evidence that councillors were warned of a compliance risk before the vote. It is not, by itself, a court judgment or regulator’s finding that the appointment was unlawful. The cited reporting does not establish the eventual legal outcome of the procurement dispute.
What the City’s October 2024 review found
The independent review published by the City on 18 October 2024 examined the circumstances behind the disclaimer for the 2022–23 report. Its executive summary identified failures in financial management processes and shortcomings in the Audit Committee’s oversight. In particular, the committee failed to:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Recognize the poor quality of the financial report and review it before submission.
- Track audit fieldwork and completion timelines.
- Ensure relevant internal audit findings were addressed.
- Communicate emerging audit issues to council in a timely way.
The review therefore points to a wider problem in financial reporting and audit oversight, beyond the March 2024 decision about how to obtain help. It did not determine whether that consultant appointment complied with procurement law.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unresolved
The cited accounts establish the March 2024 vote, the warning, and the City’s later review of the circumstances behind the audit disclaimer. They do not establish a final legal determination about the consultant appointment or the City’s financial and audit position as of 8 October 2026. The reported resignations of two finance staff after an earlier council decision—including an officer hired to help address the City’s finances—were described by PerthNow in 2024 and should not be read as a statement about current staffing.
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