Salim Mehajer banned for four months for failing to disclose development interests

THE political career of Salim Mehajer is in tatters after he was banned from office for failing to disclose ownership of a building that rocketed $1 million in value.

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THE political career of Auburn’s Ferrari-driving Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer is in tatters after he was banned from office for failing to disclose ownership of a building that rocketed $1 million in value after his council rezoned land around it.

Mr Mehajer was suspended from civic duties for four months after being found guilty of an “extremely serious” failure to declare his ­company’s pecuniary interest in the property.

The flamboyant property developer, whose lavish wedding attracted intense scrutiny of his business dealings, took part in three council meetings during 2012 and 2013 when the rezoning was debated and voted upon — leading to an ­increase in building heights and densities.

Banned for four months... Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer.

He didn’t formally disclose that his company, Mehajer Bros Pty Ltd, owns 3 Mary St in Auburn, which shot up $1 million in value as a result of the council’s decision.

The Office of Local Government hauled Mr Mehajer before the Civil and Administrative Tribunal and presiding officer David Patten, a former Supreme Court judge, handed down the suspension in civic duties yesterday.

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With Auburn Council to be dismissed next week ahead of a public inquiry into its dealings, and the council to be merged with neighbouring Holroyd later this year, Mr Mehajer’s political career is over for the foreseeable future.

The 29-year-old insisted the Auburn community will miss him: “The only persons affected by this suspension (are) the community. An appeal and stay will be under way for the sake of my constituents.”

Mehajer and his wife Aysha. Photo: Instagram

Mehajer arriving at an Auburn Council meeting.

Opposition Leader and Auburn MP Luke Foley described Mr Mehajer as the “personification of everything that’s wrong” with NSW’s local government tier and reiterated calls for developers and real ­estate agents to be banned from councils.

The Coalition state government changed local government rules in 2012 allowing councillors who are also developers to vote on land rezoning decisions — so long as ownership interests are declared ­beforehand.

“I expect all councillors to act with the highest integrity in their civic duties and in the ­interest of ratepayers,” Local Government Minister Paul Toole said.

In evidence to the tribunal, Mr Mehajer admitted not disclosing his interest in 3 Mary St but argued he didn’t realise he had to because he was not developing the property.

“I mistakenly thought that for the purposes of my disclosure obligations there was only considered to be a risk of receiving a financial benefit from the matter being discussed at the meetings if I was in fact planning to redevelop in a way which would generate that benefit directly,” Mr Mehajer said.

CONTROVERSIAL AUBURN DEPUTY MAYOR SALIM MEHAJER’S LEGAL BATTLES

* THREATS: Mehajer has been accused of making threats to Lindt Cafe siege survivor Joel Herat’s father. He will return to court in March to fight a charge of intimidation after he allegedly threatened Bruce Herat, saying he would kidnap his children during an argument at a Burwood gym last year.

* RIGGED: The property developer has been charged with forging documents to rig the 2012 Auburn Council ballot. Mehajer has been charged with using forged documents and producing a false or misleading document, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He’s set to face a Sydney court in February.

* UNLICENSED: The 29-year-old pleaded guilty in November to driving without a licence. He denied a charge of driving his Ferrari, with number plate 00-BO55 (as in BOSS), while it was unregistered, at Punchbowl in Sydney’s southwest in October. * STAIRCASE: A legal battle over Mehajer’s lavish staircase at his western Sydney home was settled in November after the director of marble supply company Marmonyx Stone, Yashar Shokrgozar, accused Mehajer of failing to pay for its installation.

* CLEANING: Cleaner Anping Yan has alleged the deputy mayor had failed to pay debts for 10 months. The case will resume in court in February, according to Fairfax Media.

* FERRARI CRASH: Mehajer was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and disqualified from driving for 12 months in October. He was found guilty of negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm after he hit two pedestrians as they stood behind a parked car. The victims suffered multiple breaks and fractures.

* WEDDING EXTRAVAGANZA: Mehajer was fined $220 in August for shutting down streets for his wedding in Lidcombe without authorisation. He hired four helicopters that landed in a local park, while his fiancee Aysha travelled with a $50 million motorcade of motorbikes and luxury cars.