ALP branch wants Casey probe

THE Doveton Australian Labor Party (ALP) branch has called for an investigation into the operations of the City of Casey Council.
The move follows ongoing tension between civic leaders and staff.
Doveton ALP branch secretary Brian Oates said the group decided to take action after constantly reading of councillors’ disputes in the local press.
“I think that the interference of politics in council has been going on for five years and it has got worse and worse every year,” Mr Oates said.
He said a letter would be sent to Local Government Minister Richard Wynne asking him to intervene.
“People would have read the papers lately, reading about councillors asking the mayor, the CEO and the whole council to be sacked,” Mr Oates said.
Mr Oates, a former Casey councillor, said the issues needed to be sorted before a new council was elected later this year.
“We want some answers. If there are people in the wrong let’s get this out before the elections,” he said.
“We are seeing people getting elected and just worrying about personal battles.
“It is not a political attack it is really a matter of what is best for the city in the future,” Mr Oates said.