Michael Gencher: Dudded Liberal councillor wants $24k in donations back from party HQ

A frustrated Liberal candidate says his request for the return of donations to his curtailed council campaign has been ignored, “rubbing salt in the wounds” after a major administrative bungle.

Fourteen Liberal candidates missed out on running for Northern Beaches Council at the September 14 elections due to a stuff-up by NSW Liberal Party HQ. Picture: Supplied

A councillor dudded in the NSW Liberals’ local government election debacle is chasing a $24,000 refund from party officials, seeking the return of money donated to his re-election campaign.

Michael Gencher, who was supposed to be number one on the Liberal ticket in Northern Beaches Council’s Pittwater Ward, can’t run because party headquarters stuffed up his nomination.

Cr Gencher was one of about 140 Liberal candidates, who had been preselected in eight councils only to be left without their names on ballot papers due to the massive administrative stuff-up.

Now he wants $7900, which he personally donated to the Liberals to help fund his own re-election campaign, refunded.

He is also chasing the return of another $16,000, which he says was donated by his friends and supporters.

The NSW local government elections on September 14 will be missing 140 Liberal candidates. Picture: Richard Noone

But he said his formal request for his personal donation to be returned had so far been ignored.

“It’s like rubbing salt into the wounds,” Cr Gencher said on Wednesday

He sent an email, on Tuesday, to the NSW Division of the Liberal Party’s direct marketing and customer relations management officer, Laura Wilson-Puhara, and copied in the division’s finance director, Peter Wheatley.

Cr Gencher wrote that it was a “formal request for the refund of my donation, which was made to the Northern Beaches LG (Local Government) fund.

“My donation of $7,900 was a contribution to my own campaign as the endorsed number one candidate for Pittwater,” he stated.

“Please advise accordingly as to how soon these funds will be refunded. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.”

Cr Gencher said he, through friends and people in the community, had raised a “considerable amount of money”.

“When people donate, they don’t donate to me directly,” he said.

“It goes to a central account, the Liberal Party’s account for the northern beaches campaign.

“Now I’ve got friends, and people I see regularly, saying ‘Oh, now that you’re out, what happens with the donations?’

“I’ve raised about $16,000 in donations and none of my friends have got it back. And another $7900 came directly from me.

Michael Gencher wants his money, and that of his campaign donors, back. Picture: Supplied.

“Now I’m getting angry. I’ve passed the grief stage. I’m very disappointed.

“At this stage, I can’t get anyone to respond.

“The money is better served in my account than theirs at this stage.”

Cr Gencher’s refund bid comes as hundreds of Liberal members on the northern beaches, angry about the “catastrophic failure” in not lodging council election candidate nominations, were expected to attend a private meeting at Dee Why RSL Club on Wednesday night.

According to the meeting agenda, seen by the Manly Daily, a motion to call for a “full and independent investigation that led to this failure” will be debated.

The meeting will also debate a motion calling on the party’s state president, Don Harwin, to resign if an investigation finds he “failed in his responsibilities”.

The return of donations to candidates and their supporters was also expected to be discussed.

The NSW Liberal Party has been contacted for comment.