Parramatta councillor Benjamin Barrak’s AVO court date

Parramatta councillor Benjamin Barrak will have an opportunity to challenge an interim AVO brought against him by a shopkeeper following an alleged factional Liberal Party dispute.

Parramatta councillor and lawyer Benjamin Barrak will have an opportunity to challenge an interim apprehended violence order taken out against him by a fellow Liberal Party member after an incident at his Lakemba grocery shop on April 22.

Mr Barrak was allegedly swearing at former Bankstown councillor and incumbent Liberal Party Lakemba branch president Mohammad Zaman, who works at his family’s Bangladesh Palace grocery shop, over an alleged dispute over party politics and voting in branches.

Parramatta Liberal councillor Benjamin Barrak

Mr Zaman sought Mr Barrak’s legal help in early 2020 when he was facing bankruptcy, which he officially declared in March that year.

After he makes a phone call, Mr Barrack allegedly flipped his middle finger at Mr Zaman behind a desk:

“You’re gonna share this (points finger) … up your arse, that’s what you’re gonna share,’’ he said.

“ … I stopped everything. F*** you. F**** you,’’ he said, before calling Mr Zaman a f***** idiot and chucking papers at him.

“Good luck keeping your house, you f****** stupid c***.’’

The incident was reported at Campsie police station in May and an interim AVO was placed against Mr Barrak on September 9.

Mr Zaman allegedly became so stressed and fearful of Mr Barrak, that he was unable to sleep and lost up to 5kg.

Mr Barrak was contacted but declined to comment.

The matter is listed in Bankstown Court on October 26.

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