The council resolved on June 9 to appoint general manager Catherine Dale to review planning processes and the dates when legal advice was sought and received for the event.

It came after the Environmental Defenders Office wrote to council in May, advising that council’s approval of the event might be illegal.

Greens councillor Gabi Harding sought an independent review, however this was deemed too expensive by her colleagues, and instead the task went to Dr Dale.

In her report, presented on Tuesday, Dr Dale said she had considered the event’s background, development application determination, the event licence process, council resolutions, and legal advice.

“Having reviewed the legal advice, relevant legislation and council policies, it is considered that this event and associated activities is permissible,” Dr Dale said.

“It is also considered that the appropriate approvals have been issued, as approved by staff under delegation and by council, in accordance with council’s policies and processes, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Crown Lands Act 1989.”

Dr Dale recommended her report be forwarded to the independent members of council’s audit committee for feedback.

NSW Police will be invited to brief council and the committee on the safety, security and risk-management pro-cesses undertaken regarding HuntFest.

Deua Valley resident and member of Stop Arms Fairs in the Eurobodalla (SAFE), Peter Cormick, spoke before the review was considered.

He said that to any reasonable observer, there was an apprehension of bias.

“One can have no confidence in the outcome,” he said.

“It is my view that in allowing this internal review to take place, rather than an independent one, you, as a council, have failed the community badly.

“And if those councillors responsible don’t agree with that view, they need to take another look at what it means to be a true representative.”

Cr Harding said the exercise was “predictable” and merely about “council crossing the Ts and dotting the Is”.

She said “significant weight” was given to HuntFest supporters who lived outside the shire, but none to opponents who lived elsewhere.

Cr Innes said she was absent when the review was initiated and believed councillors had put Dr Dale in a regrettable position.

She said, sometimes, an independent view, “even if it costs a few extra dollars”, was worth it.

While Cr Innes made it clear she

supported HuntFest, she always held concerns about the process.

“The way that it has transpired is something that we should learn some very sincere lessons from,” she said.

Cr Neil Burnside said he was confident in the findings and supported the review being forwarded to the audit committee.

“I wholeheartedly agree with Cr Harding that the conclusion is predictable and that’s because it’s based on black-and-white, straightforward facts,” he said.