AN INCAMERA council decision to have the Minister for Local Government appoint an investigation into Casey Council’s IT system amid allegations of deception against Cr Roland Abraham has been blocked.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Casey Council approved a rescission motion that nullified the council’s previous request for the Minister to intervene and appoint an independent investigator to resolve the issue.
The issue is now in the hands of police investigators.
The rescission motion relates to concerns from the council that Four Oaks Ward councillor Roland Abraham presented a doctored email to support his request for council to fund a university course that he is undertaking.
Cr Abraham, who has already done the court rounds this year when he fought off claims he provided the Victorian Electoral Commission with false and misleading information during the 2003 council elections, has proclaimed his innocence.
Oatlands Ward councillor Mick Morland, who raised the rescission motion, said that council owed it to Cr Abraham to have the matter investigated by the correct authority so that he could have his name properly cleared.
“We’re talking about a councillor’s reputation here. The right authority needs to clear him,” he said. “I don’t believe the Minister should be looking at potentially criminal matters.
“This should go to the right authority and I believe the police are the right authority.”
Mayor Neil Lucas said that he was also confident the matter was in the correct hands now that police were investigating the issue.
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