Hills Shire mayoral candidate Peter Gangemi referred to ICAC over family’s property dealings

A Sydney mayoral candidate and current councillor has been referred to ICAC by a State MP after allegedly voting on major plans in areas where his family own land.

A Liberal mayoral candidate at a major Sydney council has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption over claims he did not disclose his family’s ownership of property in booming suburbs across Sydney’s northwest — repeatedly voting through major planning outcomes.

Hills Shire councillor Peter Gangemi voted to approve the Box Hill Contributions Plan — which affects a property owned by his family at 190 Old Pitt Town Rd, Box Hill — on four occasions from September 24, 2019 to December 1, 2020 without making any declarations of a conflict of interest.

Cr Gangemi denies any wrongdoing and says that the timing of the claims appears politically motivated.

Hills Shire Councillor Dr Peter Gangemi

The Old Pitt Town Rd, Box Hill, property was sold by the Gangemi family for $8 million in July this year, after it was the subject of a multimillion-dollar development application.

The $4 million development application for 111 residential lot subdivision at the site was forwarded to the Local Planning Panel in February after a conflict of interest revealed “the owner of 190 Old Pitt Town Rd is a relative of a councillor” according to planning panel minutes.

Under the Local Government Act, councillors are meant to raise a pecuniary interest and abstain from voting on a matter if the pecuniary interest is in the councillor’s interest, in the interest of a spouse, de facto, a relative, partner or employer.

A pecuniary interest for a relative includes a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, descendant or adopted child as well as the respective family members of a partner.

Castle Park Pty Ltd, a company directed by Cr Gangemi’s father and uncle where Cr Peter Gangemi is a shareholder, also owns land at 24 Mason Rd, Box Hill — within the area supported by the Box Hill Contributions Plan.

Cr Gangemi has been a shareholder of Castle Park Pty Limited, alongside several other family members, since 16 October 2021.

The $664 million contributions plan for Box Hill was council’s blueprints for funding roads, footpaths, public open space and drainage for the newly established community in Sydney’s northwest.

On August 8, 2017, the councillor declared a pecuniary conflict when an item relating to the Box Hill Contributions Plan was raised but did not do so when voting on four occasions between 2019 and 2020.

In the Castle Hill Showground Precinct, the Gangemi family’s Castle Park business also owns a 23-lot industrial precinct at 5 Hudson Ave, Castle Hill.

In 2016, Cr Gangemi’s father and uncle, as directors of Castle Park, wrote to NSW Planning Department’s Urban Renewal Director regarding Showground precinct plans which would impact their development.

In February 2016, Cr Gangemi disclosed a pecuniary interest regarding the Showground, Bella Vista and Kellyville Priority Precinct plans put before council.

However, voting records show Cr Gangemi voted on major planning proposals for the creation of the Showground precinct, development control plans, contributions and public domain plans on several occasions between December 12, 2017 and December 11, 2018.

Meanwhile, in Baulkham Hills, Cr Gangemi voted on the 2014 Draft Baulkham Hills Town Centre Public Domain plan, despite Cr Gangemi’s aunt and uncle owning property at 12/35 Old Northern Rd, Baulkham Hills, according to council voting results.

Cr Gangemi claims he never “received any financial benefit” from properties across The Hills.

The Baulkham Hills town centre. (AAP Image/ Justin Sanson)

Baulkham Hills State Liberal MP David Elliott told NewsLocal he was aware of allegations and “had no option but to refer it to the Independent Commission Against Corruption”.

“I would encourage Cr Gangemi to stand aside from public duties until the corruption watchdog investigates the issue.

Baulkham Hills state Liberal MP David Elliott. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Cr Gangemi, who is running to become the next Hills Shire Mayor, refuted any allegations of wrongdoing.

“The properties in question have never been owned by me, nor have I ever received any financial benefit from them,” he said.

“It is normal for councillors to have conflicts of interest and during my time as a councillor, I believe I have appropriately identified and managed any conflicts of interest on relevant items and no ruling has ever been found against me to say otherwise.

“Your questions have come at a time well after the event and seem to be politically motivated by the upcoming election.

Hills Shire mayoral candidate and Liberal councillor Peter Gangemi.

The councillor urged anyone with concerns to raise the matter.

“As with any other councillor, anyone who believes I have acted inappropriately, there is a proper process for raising a complaint through council or the Office of Local Government,” he said.

“It is completely inappropriate to discuss such matters publicly and certainly not in the media”.

Baulkham Hills state Liberal MP David Elliott said he would not comment or discuss the matter any further — until ICAC had reviewed the submission.