Auburn Council suspended as councillors face public enquiry
An administrator has been appointed to run the Auburn Council after Local Government Minister Paul Toole announced today the council has been officially suspended.
Interim administrator Viv May has been appointed to replace the councillors after allegations of misconduct led to a public enquiry.
“There are allegations made against individual councillors that need to be looked at further,” Mr Toole said today.
“Given the serious nature of the allegations the council is facing, it is clear that it is in the public interest to temporarily suspend the council during the course of the inquiry.
“Auburn ratepayers deserve a strong council that is acting in their best interests. The only way to achieve this is for me to temporarily suspend the councillors so the inquiry can be undertaken effectively.”
The council is facing a public inquiry into property deals that allegedly benefited some councillors, including controversial deputy mayor Salim Mehajer.
The allegations include a planning decision related to a carpark in Lidcombe which the council voted to sell to a Mehajer-owned company for allegedly millions below market value, a rezoning of Berala Town Centre to include the family home and investment property of Councillor Hicham Zraika and the rezoning of a large area in Lidcombe - where Councillor Ronnie Ouiek owns property.
Mr Mehajer is serving a four-month suspension from the council imposed by the NSW Civic and Administrative Tribunal two weeks ago, because he had not declared a pecuniary interest.
He hit back at the decision, saying it was made before an investigation was complete.
“The decision of the ‘suspension’ remains respected. I am however disappointed that the ‘indefinite suspension’ has taken place prior to the completion of the ongoing investigation,” he said in a statement to 9NEWS.
“I believe that this has raised more concerns from the public relating to the Ministers ‘abuse of power’, as we all can appreciate the understanding of ‘cause & effect’.”
Interim administrator Viv May has been appointed to replace the councillors after allegations of misconduct led to a public enquiry.
“There are allegations made against individual councillors that need to be looked at further,” Mr Toole said today.
“Given the serious nature of the allegations the council is facing, it is clear that it is in the public interest to temporarily suspend the council during the course of the inquiry.
“Auburn ratepayers deserve a strong council that is acting in their best interests. The only way to achieve this is for me to temporarily suspend the councillors so the inquiry can be undertaken effectively.”
The council is facing a public inquiry into property deals that allegedly benefited some councillors, including controversial deputy mayor Salim Mehajer.
The allegations include a planning decision related to a carpark in Lidcombe which the council voted to sell to a Mehajer-owned company for allegedly millions below market value, a rezoning of Berala Town Centre to include the family home and investment property of Councillor Hicham Zraika and the rezoning of a large area in Lidcombe - where Councillor Ronnie Ouiek owns property.
Mr Mehajer is serving a four-month suspension from the council imposed by the NSW Civic and Administrative Tribunal two weeks ago, because he had not declared a pecuniary interest.
He hit back at the decision, saying it was made before an investigation was complete.
“The decision of the ‘suspension’ remains respected. I am however disappointed that the ‘indefinite suspension’ has taken place prior to the completion of the ongoing investigation,” he said in a statement to 9NEWS.
“I believe that this has raised more concerns from the public relating to the Ministers ‘abuse of power’, as we all can appreciate the understanding of ‘cause & effect’.”
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