Who Will Apologise to Michelago? #191

SMCA Stands With The Badrock Family

Who Will Apologise to Michelago? #191

SMCA Stands With The Badrock Family

On 11 June 2025, Michelago resident Matthew Badrock issued a formal apology regarding statements made in a Monaro Zone interview earlier this year. While Mr Badrock has taken responsibility for his words, the broader context surrounding his concerns remains unresolved — including ongoing environmental contamination, systemic planning failures, and a community left without answers.

Mr Badrock is a respected local family man who spoke out after seeing what he believed to be serious procedural failures that affected his family’s wellbeing and the local environment. His apology reflects not guilt, but character — a willingness to stand accountable, even in the face of institutional silence.

What makes this situation even more troubling is what occurred prior. Rather than engaging with the concerns raised, Councillor Tanya Higgins, via her husband Karl Higgins, responded by publicly threatening legal action against residents — stating “legal action pending” in a Facebook thread defending her role. Instead of seeking understanding or resolution, the first instinct from Michelago’s elected representative was litigation.

This is not just an overreaction. It’s part of a growing pattern of intimidation and governance failure. Residents expressing genuine fears of environmental harm are met with silence from some councillors and legal threats from others.

The result is a deeply demoralised community. A town where environmental concerns are downplayed, approvals are granted without transparency, and the very people elected to serve the community either threaten them or turn away.

Matthew Badrock’s apology is a reminder of what accountability looks like. But the same cannot be said for the Snowy Monaro Regional Council — or those councillors who have chosen to protect power over people.

What follows are the reflections of Peter Anderson — an advocate and commentator who has long warned of these governance failures and who stands firmly beside the Badrock family and the people of Michelago.

Peter Anderson from the Snowy Mountain Community Advocates posted the following message of support 14 June 2025.

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Peter Anderson (Snowy Mountain Community Advocates)

The facts:

* Council was both the consent authority for the Michelago landfill DA and the EPA regulator.

* Two councillors live in Michelago.

* Councillors were never briefed nor did they demand a legal briefing on breaches in council’s assessment of this application, nor in council’s failed role as EPA regulator in protect the community from, and remedying contamination.

* Matt Badrock is a quality family man who simply saw a wrongful process that had impacted his families quality of life. He received only verbal support from council and bloc councillors with no resulting remedy. His property and the Michelago community remain exposed to environmental contamination.

Mat is a good person and would not knowingly offend another, and this is why he apologised. However this has not been reciprocated, Council has not addressed their own gross governance breaches, and councillors have chosen not to ask the right questions. Contamination remains an ongoing concern.

One councillor has publicly stated they do not have the skills required to ge a councillor. How is this possible? Councillors are mandated to obtain the required skills and their general manager is mandated to tailor individualised ongoing training to ensure the success.

All this evidences a broader, concerning pattern. Democracy and community representation has been captured by the senior staff with the cooperation of the bloc councillors (councillors led by Mayor Chris Hanna)

Over decades Council has developed a ‘lolly shop culture’ of ‘quid pro quo’. Power, ego, favours and graft, all in the absence of the required governance oversight that maintains a separation of powers between daily council operations and their intended lawful oversight by independent democratic representation (councillors)

We are seeing DA’s approved with no legal DA application. DA’s approved without owners consent. DA’s approved in breach of the law(LEP’s). Breaches of environmental requirements left unregulated, And, failures to provide natural justice and procedural fairness, consistent absence of development application notification to the community and immediate neighbours.

In many instances impacted community members only finding out about development approvals after a consent is issued. Then left with only one option, a $100k bill to take council to court with no guaranteed outcome. While council uses rate payers money to defend their wrong doing.

This must be called out out for what it is, corrupt! Mayor Hanna’s conflicts of interest and his failure to take responsibility to ensure council acts honestly, efficiently and appropriately must be investigated.

The Advocates stand with community members like the Mat Badrock family’s and their heir right to the peaceful enjoyment of their home.

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