Former Auburn Mayor Ronney Oueik dumps on Salim Mehajer

In his first interview since a being hauled through a public inquiry into the council he led, Ronney Queik has declared he was the best Mayor Auburn ever had — and blamed Salim Mehajer’s extravagant wedding to his downfall.

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His council was sacked and dragged through a public inquiry but high-rise developer Ronney Oueik declared he was the best mayor the Auburn community has ever had.

In his first interview since the 2016 public inquiry in to Auburn Council, the one-time Liberal party candidate has also hinted at a return to politics and slammed over-regulation.

“Auburn Council was the best council in the state according to the services that were on the ground,” Mr Queik told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Now with the merger (into Cumberland Council) people are asking where is our council? I was the best mayor the community ever had — just ask the ratepayers.

Former Auburn Mayor and Liberal candidate Ronney Queik said he was the best Mayor Auburn ever had.

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“A lot of people come up to me, shake my hand, and thank me for what I have done for Auburn.”

Mr Oueik was first elected to the council in 2004 and served as mayor from October 2010 to October 2011.

He is the director of BBC Developments, BBC Group, Marque Eight and at least 23 other companies and has built at least 500 units in western Sydney.

Mr Oueik was the Liberal candidate for Auburn in the March 2015 state election but lost to former Labor leader Luke Foley.

Former Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer with former Mayor Ronney Oueik.

Asked if he would consider a return to politics, Mr Oueik said: “Never say never”.

“Australia is the best country under the sun but people ruin it,” he said.

“There is too much regulation here. There are a lot of jealous people in this country.

“You open a business or win the Lotto, you’ve got to look sideways.”

Mr Oueik also spoke about the August 2015 wedding of former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer, saying he was not at the wedding and has not spoken to Mehajer since.

Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer holds a lavish wedding in Lidcombe. Picture: Toby Zerna.

He blames the wedding for creating a climate that allowed the state government to push ahead with council amalgamations.

“Speaking as a member of the Liberal Party, that wedding was a bingo for the merger,” he said.

He also said the public inquiry into the former Auburn council “was a complete waste of time and money”.

Originally published as Former Auburn Mayor Ronney Oueik dumps on Salim Mehajer