ICAC: Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas, planner worked to fast-track council review of skyscraper

A former council planner has told ICAC he worked with a Sydney Mayor, who was being ‘rewarded’ by a developer with overseas trips, to fast-track a plan for high-rise towers in the inner west.

A town planner and former council planning director — who was hired by Chinese development firm iProsperity — told ICAC he worked with Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas to accelerate a newly submitted planning proposal for a series of multimillion-dollar high-rise towers to the front of the planning queue in a move described as “unusual”.

The ICAC is probing allegations Cr Tsirekas partially exercised his official functions to favour the interests of Billbergia, Prolet Pty, iProsperity and contractor Joseph Chidiac, as well as

allegations he accepted benefits, including overseas flights and accommodation, as a reward for favouring iProsperity’s planning interests.

Joseph Chidiac and city of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas in China. Picture: ICAC

On day three of the hearing, former Canada Bay Council Planning Director David Furlong told the NSW ICAC he was tipped off by Cr Tsirekas that a neighbouring property development by Billbergia for the Rhodes State Precinct would be considered by his former council at a May 2016 meeting as part of a notice of motion by councillor Neil Kenzler.

David Furlong. Picture: LinkedIn

Cr Kenzler’s motion did not include the assessment of the planning proposal by iProsperity for the corner of Marquet and Mary streets, Rhodes, which was only submitted seven days earlier.

However, emails tendered to ICAC reveal Mr Furlong and Cr Tsirekas worked to develop an amended notice of motion to include the five lots controlled by iProsperity when investigating the planning merits of the Billbergia development.

Mr Furlong told ICAC chief commissioner Peter Hall that Billbergia had worked with council for up to three years on their Station Precinct planning proposal at Rhodes before he and the mayor amended a notice of motion to include the week-old iProsperity proposal in planning merit investigations.

David Furlong. Picture: ICAC

“I told (Cr Kenzler) I had (his notice of motion),” Mr Furlong said. “I told him the mayor had provided it to me, I told him why and … I asked him would he be willing to include a paragraph that basically said that the iProsperity site and its planning proposal be treated in the same procedural manner, rigour that was being applied to the Billbergia land.”

When asked by chief commissioner Peter Hall if this was an unusual situation, Mr Fulong said it was “not something that would happen regularly” before telling the ICAC he had never worked with a councillor to amend a notice of motion that he had been employed to work on.

Mr Furlong refuted claims the amended motion to council would “benefit” his employer, however, when asked by counsel assisting the ICAC Jamie Darams if the move with the Canada Bay Mayor was “in the interests” of iProsperity, Mr Furlong said: “Yes”.

Artist's impressions for the Rhodes Place Precinct Strategy, which is at the centre of an ICAC probe looking into Canada Bay mayor Angelo Tsirekas.

Mr Darams revealed to ICAC that Cr Kenzler refused a request made to him by Mr Fulong to amend the motion to include iProsperity in a planning merit investigation several times, resulting in Mr Furlong turning to his long-time friend, Cr Tsirekas to move the motion the private town planner had revised.

The amended notice of motion, which was later approved by council at the meeting, saw the iProsperity planning proposal investigated for planning merits — just seven days after it was submitted — alongside the Billbergia planning proposal three years in the making.

“I thought it was a reasonable proposition that my client get the certainty of being treated the same way by the council,” Mr Furlong told ICAC. “Simple as that.

“And I spoke that night at the council (in support of the amended motion).”

Mr Furlong agreed that the neighbouring Billbergia development was “well advanced” ahead of iProsperity with development approvals and Gateway determinations.

iProsperity Group director, Xialou (Belinda) Li and Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas in China. Picture: ICAC

On Thursday ICAC also heard Mr Furlong had “assisted” Cr Tsirekas’ partner, Heather Crichton, on the development application for the extension of her semi-detached home — and did not charge her for his town planning services.

“I didn’t think that the application was being dealt with fairly. In fact, I thought Ms Crighton as the applicant was being treated unfairly because of her relationship with the mayor and it should never have come to this,” he said. “Through my practice, I’ve often assisted people, people have often been referred to me in circumstances like this – I don’t think it’s fair to charge them.”

Mr Furlong said he had known the mayor since 1997.

Mr Furlong was a Government-appointed member of the NSW Planning Assessment Commission and the Sydney East Joint Regional Planning Panel and has worked as Principal of Plan Urban Services for 18 years. Mr Furlong also held roles at Ashfield and Blacktown City Councils.

Cr Tsirekas is yet to give evidence at the ICAC.