By Brendan Rees
Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes has added his voice to calls for the State Government to sack Casey Council – which has been embroiled in one of Victoria’s biggest alleged corruption investigation.
The Southern Metropolitan Region MP presented a motion calling on the State Government to dismiss Casey Council – however the motion was lost 33 votes to five at a state parliament sitting on Thursday 6 February.
“You have to wonder why the government allows this particular council to continue,” Mr Hayes said. “Is it because either some of the councillors or some of the property developers have enough on government ministers that they are in too weak a position to move to sack the council?”
During the motion debate, Mr Hayes labelled the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) revelations at Casey Council as a “disgrace” and “an ugly stain on Victoria’s integrity and reputation.”
It comes as Shadow Local Government Minister Tim Smith and Liberal MP for Gembrook Brad Battin have also called for Casey Council to be dismissed.
Among those voting against the motion was Eastern Victoria MP Harriet Shing who said the State Government was unable to support the motion proposed by My Hayes as Casey Council was currently the subject of an IBAC investigation.
“I do not wish to express any views on matters which the IBAC will contemplate and make findings on. However, it strikes me that there is yet to be any evidence put to the IBAC,” Ms Shing said.
She said the motion was at the “very least pre-emptive and at its very least speculative in that it relies upon a making out of the evidence and the revelations”.
Ms Shing added it was “vital that we enable those processes currently in train to take place and to be concluded before making any decisions as a government, before the minister takes any action or does not take any action in relation to these matters”.
Leader of the Opposition David Davis welcomed the proposed motion but said it was “phrased in a cumbersome way which is not quite accurate and for that reason we will not support it”.
“I want to note that he (Mr Hayes) has brought this in very good intent with purposes of highlighting weaknesses in our system, with purposes of ensuring that IBAC has strong support in this parliament—and those objectives I agree with,” Mr Davis said.
The motion had also called on the government to introduce legislation to ban donations to political parties, sitting politicians, state and municipal candidates entirely.
It also sought to ensure that property developers could not provide direct or indirect financial support or gifts to MPs, councillors, planning staff, or their families.
One of the key figures in the IBAC investigation is former Casey mayor Sam Aziz, who sold his home and fled to Egypt last November before the IBAC began its public hearings.
Casey mayor Susan Serey said it had no choice but to grant a request for further extension of paid leave until 31 March based on medical grounds.
A monitor appointed to examine governance at the City of Casey was due to report to the Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek on 11 February.
Meanwhile, Casey councillor Rosalie Crestani said the IBAC investigation should be respected and any motion calling for council to be sacked would be “premature” and “everyone should be accessible” to a “fair process”.
