By Brendan Rees
Casey mayor Susan Serey has declared council is “fully cooperative” with Victoria’s anti-corruption commission amid explosive claims councillors received cash-for-favours from a property developer.
It comes as the independent broad-based anti-corruption commission (IBAC), the state’s independent anti-corruption body, began public hearings on 18 November into allegations of serious corrupt conduct in relation to planning and property development decisions at the Casey Council.
On day one of the hearings it was alleged Cr Sam Aziz Cr Geoff Ablett pocketed about $1.2 million from property developer John Woodman and associated companies in exchange for favourable planning decisions.
But it was business as usual at council’s 19 November meeting which lasted about 40 minutes – with just a handful of people in the public gallery and council officers in attendance.
Chairing just her second meeting as mayor, Cr Serey announced she would like to make “some brief comments” regarding the IBAC hearing.
“Public hearings commenced yesterday into several planning decisions by the City of Casey dating back to 2014,” she said.
“As the hearings are ongoing, it’s not appropriate for the council to comment on specific allegations made at the hearings but as the mayor I wanted to reassure all ratepayers that the City of Casey is fully cooperative with the commission and we welcome these hearings in the public interest, thank you”.
No further discussion was made between councillors about the hearings.
Interestingly, seven public questions were presented to council – however none were related to the corruption probe.
Cr Serey told the chamber Cr Aziz and Cr Ablett had been granted leave from the 7 November until the end of the year.
Councillors in attendance at the meeting were Cr Amanda Stapledon, Cr Gary Rowe, Cr Wayne Smith, Cr Milla Gilic, Cr Rex Flannery, Cr Rosalie Crestani, and Cr Tim Jackson.
No councillors announced any conflict of interest or political interest for the meeting.
Cr Damien Rosario was also granted leave following the stillbirth of he and his wife’s baby boy, Henry. The funeral will be held at St Kevin’s Church in Hampton Park on Wednesday 20 November.
Members of the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association were also present at the meeting.
In a statement, the Association’s spokesman Brendan Browne said the allegations were “shocking” and the hearing was “long overdue”.
“If one any of these allegations are substantiated it is an absolute disgrace. We have complained to council for years about their lack of transparency only to be met with silence, rhetoric and insults. Yet, a greater level of transparency could have prevented the mess we are now in. In the end it is the local people who pay when a council does not act in their best interests,” Mr Browne said.
“A lack of planning and good governance has already lead to a lack of local jobs, congested roads, overflowing car parks at railway stations and a range of other problems. “Unfortunately this council has not functioned the way it should have for many years.”
Casey CEO Glenn Patterson did not publicly speak during the meeting.
