Premier Chris Minns says it is “very reasonable” for Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig to want “thorough and prompt” inquiries into the conduct of a Sydney Labor mayor, after it was alleged he improperly tried to exert influence.

The Greens have branded the allegations that Hoenig asked repeatedly about the case against former Bayside mayor Bill Saravinovski “deeply troubling”, and called for an investigation into suggestions there had been a “serious misuse of public resources to further the interests of the NSW Labor Party”.

The Herald on Monday revealed allegations that on five separate occasions , Hoenig pushed Office of Local Government deputy secretary Brett Whitworth to expedite a tribunal submission as part of the minister’s desire to deal with council preselections in Bay

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