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Laurence Joseph "Laurie" Maher OAM is the former mayor of Gosford City Council and the former CEO of Coast Shelter, a non-profit homelessness service assisting people in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

Coast Shelter and Community Service

Maher founded Coast Shelter in 1992 and held the position of CEO until his retirement in July 2018. In 2009, Maher was presented with an Award for Services to the Aboriginal Community by the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Mayor of Gosford

He served as the mayor of Gosford, serving four terms. Maher was first elected to Council in 2004, elected as Mayor in 2007. Maher retired as mayor in 2012.

In 2011, Maher agreed to a proposed merger of Gosford and Wyong councils, stating the councils would become more effective in dealing with the needs of the regions as a single operation.

In the 2010 Australia Day Honours Maher was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "service to the community of Gosford through social welfare and local government organisations".

Historical Sex Offences

Following a series of complaints made to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Strikeforce Eckersly was established by the Nepean Police Area Command towards the end of 2016. On the 20th of April 2020, it was announced that a 9th man had been charged with historical sex offences with the Newcastle Herald stating "Strike force investigators issued a Court Attendance Notice (CAN) for the offences of four counts of buggery, three counts of indecent assault on male, and six counts of sexual assault knowing no consent given to an 81-year-old man on Thursday 5 March 2020." Laurie Maher was named the following day by NBN news as the ninth person to face court over allegedly misconduct committed at Mt Penang Training School. The alleged offences took place between 1977 and 1988.

A spokesperson from Coast Shelter stated that "allegations predate Maher’s involvement with the charity and is no longer an employee."

References

1. "Central Coast Business Review". Central Coast Business Review.
2. ^ "Gosford Mayor prepares to retire." ABC News. 25 June 2012. Accessed 27 July 2016.
3. Darkinjung News Vol. 1, Issue 3. September 2009. Accessed 27 July 2016.
4. "New Mayor and Deputy For Council". Gosford City Council. 30 September 2005. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 1 October 2005. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
5. "Mayor and Deputy Mayor re-elected". Gosford City Council. 26 September 2006. Archived from the original on 15 August 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
6. "Gosford City Council Mayoral Election". Gosford City Council. 28 September 2010. Archived from the original on 5 April 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
7. "EXTRAORDINARY MEETING MINUTES (2011/E5) - Monday, 26 September 2011" (PDF). Gosford City Council. 26 September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
8. "Coast is clear for merger". News.com.au. 29 May 2011.
9. "Mr Laurence Joseph MAHER - Medal of the Order of Australia". Australian Honours Search Facility. Australian Government. 26 January 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2020. For service to the community of Gosford through social welfare and local government organisations.
10. "Central Coast man to face court over alleged historical sex offences". Newcastle Herald. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
11. "Laurie Maher Charged with Historical Sex Offences". NBN News. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.

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