By Cam Lucadou-Wells
CASEY Residents and Ratepayers Association former president Rex Flannery has been criticised over his “reckless alliance” with former councillor Paul Richardson in Springfield Ward in the upcoming council elections.
Mayor Sam Aziz, also of Springfield Ward, slammed the union – in which Mr Flannery and Mr Richardson share preferences a glossy election pamphlet.
Mr Flannery apparently advised Mr Richardson to not pay his rates in an email chain between the two in August 2013.
“So they don’t want to give you anything, I would refuse to start paying rates,” Mr Flannery wrote in the email, referring to Mr Richardson being banned from asking questions at council question time.
“If you can’t have a say in your own council don’t pay rates.”
Mr Flannery told Star News that he and Mr Richardson were friends, and shared a brochure to halve each other’s printing costs.
Mr Richardson was not endorsed by the CRRA, Mr Flannery said.
“Mr Aziz is now getting desperate and trying to rake up dirt.
“I seem to have Mr Aziz worried.”
Cr Aziz questioned whether Mr Flannery’s attitude to paying rates was the “responsible attitude we expect from someone running for council”.
“Moreover, how could Mr Flannery state that he cares about out residents and Casey, and then preference a disaster like Mr Richardson second?”
