Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour gives evidence at NSW parliamentary inquiry

An embattled Sydney mayor has made a series of stunning claims against a former Labor MP while fronting a parliamentary inquiry.

Tensions were high as Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Kahl Asfour gave evidence at a NSW parliamentary inquiry into allegations of impropriety while working at council.

Before Monday’s hearing began, Mr Asfour used his parliamentary privilege to reveal that former Labor MP turned One Nation candidate Tania Mihailuk made what he said were “tens of thousands of dollars” in expenses and monetary claims during her time as the former Bankstown council mayor from 2006 to 2012.

“She spent tens of thousands of dollars of ratepayers’ money on things like bottles of Johnnie Walker scotch, Bailey’s Irish Cream, slabs of beer, Russian vodka and there weren’t many local outlets who didn’t know her order,” he told the committee.

Khal Asfour made a series of claims against former Labor MP Tania Mihailuk. Picture: NSW parliament

He also claimed Ms Mihailuk bought flowers for “anyone that wanted to curry favour with MPs, like Joe Tripodi”.

Tripodi is facing criminal charges for “misconduct in public office arising from Operation Credo” after being charged last year following corruption findings made by a 2017 ICAC inquiry.

Among his many claims, Ms Asfour said Ms Mihailuk used taxpayer funds to pay for meals for herself and her family as well as cab fares after her mayoral car required $20,000 in ratepayer-funded repairs following a smash with a Hummer limousine.

He also told the inquiry that Ms Mihailuk took home Christmas trees that had been purchased for a community Christmas party and library Christmas decorations.

“She was good on the tooth, claiming for takeaway Chinese meals for her family from local outlets and the occasional late-night fine-dining experience, not to forget the chicken nuggets, chips and flavoured milk for her kids when they finished school,” he said.

“There was also the expenses on cab fares in the hundreds of dollars.

“You need to ask why so many cabs when she had a mayoral car, claims for petrol and even had several council staff at her beck and call driving her around.”

Tania Mihailuk served as Bankstown council mayor from 2006 to 2012.

Mr Asfour was stopped three times while delivering his opening statement by committee chair, Liberal MLC Aileen MacDonald. She questioned the relevancy of his comments and said they went against her directions to not make “adverse comments against individuals”.

Ms Mihailuk used her parliamentary privilege to raise corruption concerns against Mr Asfour in September 2022. She was axed from the NSW Labor Party by Chris Minns for the outburst before Ms Mihailuk defected to One Nation to run on the party’s upper house ticket in March.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour will give evidence again on Monday morning. Picture: Jeff Darmanin

Asfour ‘stands by rate claims’

During the hearing, Mr Asfour was also grilled over a number of expenses he made since becoming the Canterbury-Bankstown mayor.

The former Labor upper house candidate withdrew from running in the March state election last month after The Daily Telegraph detailed a series of expenses and claims he made on two overseas work trips taken in 2015 and 2019, including a $120 massage in Tokyo.

Receipts shared in the article, which were released under a freedom of information request before being sought by a parliamentary inquiry, showed Mr Asfour claimed back costs for designer clothing items and received $1500 back from a $2277 Zegna suit bought in 2021, as part of a “corporate attire” expenses policy for council staff, and $500 for a Bally briefcase in 2015.

Announcing his campaign resignation, a spokesperson on behalf of Mr Asfour said he had been subjected to a “vicious smear campaign,” and the “latest headlines are the last straw”.

Mr Asfour claimed $500 on a briefcase in 2015. Councillors are allowed to claim up to $500 on a briefcase or portfolio for every term they serve. Picture: NSW parliament

On Monday, Mr Asfour said he stood by all of his “legitimate” expense claims.

“The policy allows for when someone is away on council business to have meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he told the committee.

Several questions were raised about Mr Asfour’s $120 massage that was labelled by one chair member as a “spa bath”; however, the mayor clarified it was a “water massage” to help with his “severe leg cramps” from his flight.

When asked why he didn’t pay for the massage himself, Mr Asfour said he originally did but then “asked advice” that said the claim was legitimate.

Originally published as Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour gives evidence at NSW parliamentary inquiry