More money to be spent on probity report exploring process council used to sell water to Lynas Rare Earths

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder will spend more than double the money first budgeted in its investigation into the process it used to enter into a water supply contract with Lynas Rare Earths, with a report expected in February. Councillors debated behind closed doors on Monday night a budget amendment from $35,000 to $78,000 for the probity report, although city officials say the report will not change anything in relation to the controversial 1.7GL contract. Speaking to the Kalgoorlie Miner on Tuesday, mayor Glenn Wilson said city chief executive Andrew Brien would be meeting with a law firm later this week, with an update to be provided to the city in the new year. “We’re committed to ensuring a transparent process in the release of the information to the community,” he said. It comes after Mr Brien told the Kalgoorlie Miner last week the report was “a lot bigger” than initially expected, with almost twice as many documents to go through. However, he said the result of the probity report was unlikely to change anything. “This is really a report to say what happened, was it right and where did we miss out if we missed out anywhere and did everything comply with what it is supposed to,” Mr Brien said. “It won’t change anything at the end, that’s the reality of it. “The issue around water pricing and where water goes and things like that, that’s ultimately just decisions for council. “There was water, there was capacity for people to take water and for us to sell the water, and that’s what council resolved to do at the time.” The probity report was proposed by former councillor Suzie Williams before the end of her term in October 2023, in which she asked for the investigation to focus on negotiations for the contract as well as the contract itself. However, the city has repeatedly clarified the probity report was looking into how the city was positioned to offer the contract, not the contract itself.