Hills Mayor Peter Gangemi: ICAC assessing whether it will investigate conflict of interest claims

A newly-elected mayor has been urged to step aside pending the outcome of an assessment by the state’s corruption watchdog into a complaint against him.

Newly appointed Hills Shire Mayor Peter Gangemi is being urged to step aside pending the outcome of an assessment by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption into a complaint that he allegedly voted on major plans in areas where his family owns land.

In December, NewsLocal revealed Cr Gangemi had been the target of a letter of complaint to the NSW ICAC over claims he did not disclose his family’s ownership of property in suburbs across The Hills Local Government Area including Box Hill, Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills before repeatedly voting through major planning outcomes.

NewsLocal understands senior NSW Liberals will demand party president Philip Ruddock suspend Cr Gangemi, “until he is ruled out as the focus of an ICAC assessment”.

Cr Gangemi continues to refute any wrongdoing.

Calls for the mayor’s suspension from the party comes as he scheduled an extraordinary meeting of The Hills Shire Council in an effort to elect a deputy mayor.

Council sources said the rushed move to appoint a deputy to Cr Gangemi was being seen as “an effort to install a contingency plan” if the mayor steps aside.

At the meeting on Tuesday evening councillor Mark Hodges was elected deputy mayor until April 30 2023.

The nine Liberal councillors voted for Cr Hodges, while the three Labor councillors and sole Greens councillor threw support behind Cr Ryan Tracey (ALP).

“I know for sure that you will do us all very proud as a team and also in your support to Mayor Dr Gangemi,” Cr Reena Jethi said.

An Investigation by The Hills Shire Times in December revealed Cr Gangemi did not make a declaration of interest when he voted to approve the Box Hill Contribution Plan on four occasions from September 2019 to December 2020, despite his family owning a property at 190 Old Pitt Town Rd, Box Hill.

Meanwhile a company directed by Cr Gangemi’s father and uncle at 24 Mason Rd, Box Hill was also within the area supported by the contributions plan.

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.

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

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

Mayor Dr Peter Gangemi – The Hills Shire Council. Headshot.

Hills Shire Council voting records revealed Cr Gangemi supported major planning proposals for the creation of the Showground precinct, development control plans, contributions and public domain plans on several occasions between December 2017 and December 2018 — failing to disclose a conflict of interest.

NewsLocal can confirm correspondence has been circulated advising ICAC is “currently considering information” as part of an assessment.

Cr Gangemi told The Times: “I have not received any correspondence which states that I am the subject of any investigation.

“The ratepayers of The Hills have told me that they want their council and their mayor to deliver on the issues that are important to them.

“That is what I am focused on – helping to fast track infrastructure in the new release areas, fighting against overdevelopment, supporting small business to create more local jobs and helping to deliver improvements to sports fields, parks, footpaths, playgrounds and community facilities.”