By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS and LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A FUNERAL parlour business implicated in reports about a State Ombudsman’s investigation into Casey councillors Geoff Ablett and Amanda Stapledon has denied involvement.
Crs Ablett and Stapledon – who are standing as Liberal candidates in this month’s State Election – have over the past week denied wrong-doing after being interviewed as part of the probe into “donations and council planning decisions”.
Last week, The Australian newspaper reported that one of the planning decisions under scrutiny involved an application by a “funeral home to establish a low-cost business in the area”.
Bereavement Assistance director Kieran Worthington and general manager Adrian Gillman this week denied they or the business had donated to the Liberal Party or the two candidates.
Mr Worthington said it was “telling” that no one involved in the company had yet been interviewed by the State Ombudsman.
“I didn’t know there was an investigation until the newspaper report last week.
“We’re a charitable organisation. We don’t give to political parties. We enjoy bipartisan support for the work we do with the community.
“We feel like we’ve become a political football to kick around. It was apparent that some councillors didn’t like each other.”
Mr Worthington directly denied he or his father Ted who founded the not-for-profit business had given political donations.
“No (though) that’s not really an appropriate question – anyone as an individual is allowed to support a political party.”
He said he and his father, as Justices of the Peace, had met Crs Ablett and Stapledon at events but that was their only meetings.
In August, Casey councillors approved Bereavement Assistance’s planning permit application for a funeral parlour at 236 Cranbourne Road, Narre Warren South – rescinding their decision to reject the proposal a month earlier.
At the July meeting, councillors voted 5-4 to reject the proposal with councillors Ablett and Wayne Smith absent.
At the re-vote, Crs Ablett and Smith swung the vote 6-5 in favour of the parlour. Cr Stapledon voted in favour on both occasions.
Neighbours have appealed the decision, to be heard at Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in February.
Nearby resident Sam Marcuccio, who has objected to the parlour, said he was looking forward to the outcome of the Ombudsman’s investigation.
“We had some suspicions on the way the rescission was cast after a legitimate vote (by councillors in July).”
Cr Stapledon told reporters at a campaign event on Monday that it was a crime for her to comment on the investigation.
Premier Denis Napthine said the candidates had denied the allegations, dismissing them as part of a “politically-motivated campaign” by his opponents.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan hit back at suggestions the allegations were part of a “dirty tricks” campaign instigated by Labor.
“It’s definitely not a dirty tricks campaign from the ALP, they (the Coalition) need to look in their own backyard,” he said.
Crs Ablett and Stapledon both sought and last week were granted a leave of absence from last Thursday’s Casey Council meeting, which co-incided with the breaking of The Australian’s report.
The leave will extend until December, after the State Election.
