Casey

By Belinda Nolan
THE Victorian Government has ordered councillors who work for MPs to stand down from either role within months, in a bid to curb corruption following the Ombudsman’s startling revelations into Brimbank City Council.
In a secret meeting with Local Government Minister Richard Wynne, Attorney-General Rob Hulls and Industrial Relations Minister Martin Pakula, Victorian councillors were told they could not continue to serve two masters and would have to resign from one position this year.
Legislation is being drafted that would ban electorate officers and ministerial and parliamentary advisers from standing as councillors, forcing current councillors to make a speedy decision about their future.
In Casey, the ruling would force Edrington Ward councillor Daniel Mulino and Mayfield ward councillor Kevin Bradfod to step down from either their role on council or resign from their employment at ALP offices.
The move is one of several damage-control measures implemented by the Government in the wake of the Brimbank scandal, which revealed several high profile MPs had inappropriately interfered in council affairs.
Although recommended by the Ombudsman, the plan faces a backlash from councillors who say they are being unfairly targeted for the sins of a single rogue council.
However, since the Brimbank story broke, the Ombudsman’s office has received at least two separate submissions about Casey Council and investigators have conducted interviews with council personnel.
Cr Mulino won his local government seat in November after a long period of unrest that led to at least one of those submissions to the Ombudsman. He is employed at the electorate office of Judith Graley.
Cr Bradford was an incumbent at the November election. He is employed at the electorate office of Luke Donnellan.
The Community and Public Sector Union last week confirmed it was taking action on behalf of disgruntled councillors, claiming the changes are unconstitutional.
CPSU spokesman Julian Kennelly said the union would be fighting the new laws in court.
“We’re arguing that it’s unconstitutional and we’re going to be fighting this all the way,” he said.
“It’s basically smearing every councillor who worked for a Member of Parliament and we think that’s completely unfair.”
The News believes some councillors are considering seeking compensation for lost income if forced to resign their position.
A State Government spokesman last week confirmed councillors had been told to make a choice, with the government planning to introduce the legislation in Parliament this year.
Delegates at the ALP state conference on Saturday asked the government to consider delaying the legislation to take effect in future council elections but the bid was quashed.
A spokesman yesterday confirmed the government’s intention to carry out the Ombudsman’s recommendations.