Mildura councillor Jason Modica suspended after not declaring conflicts of interest

A former Mildura mayor has been suspended for serious misconduct. Find out what he did.

A former Mildura mayor knew he was doing “the wrong thing” when he failed to disclose a conflict of interest on three separate occasions, voting to stop a proposal that would allow a business to be built in direct competition with his sister’s across the road.

Councillor Jason Modica has been suspended for two months and ordered to make an apology to the council, in a decision made by the chief municipal officer.

In March 2021, Mildura council received a planning application for a stockyard panelling business.

Over the space of three separate meetings, Mr Modica — at the time the mayor of Mildura — failed to declare a conflict of interest despite his sister having a similar business across the road.

He also voted against approving the application as he “felt the need to protect” his family, however a majority vote approved the application.

Mildura councillor Jason Modica been suspended for two months and ordered to make an apology to the council after engaging in “serious misconduct”

While being interviewed under caution on March 22 last year, Mr Modica said he did not think it was “relevant” that his sister lived across the road, that he didn’t know his sister was running a metal fabrication business and that it was a mistake.

However, just a day later he returned to the investigator and requested another meeting.

“I have not been honest, and I have given a false statement yesterday,” he said.

He said he realised at the start of the first council meeting discussing the application that he was “doing the wrong thing”.

He then admitted to knowing about his sister’s business and the conflict of interest it caused.

“Around the time the of the motion coming through, and the briefing at the start, that’s when we sort of discussed it, that’s the point when I really should have stepped out,” he said.

However, Mr Modica maintained he did not vote against the proposal because of his sister, rather that he believed it was against the planning scheme.

The Councillor Conduct Panel suspended Mr Modica from his role as a councillor for two months, barred him from chairing any delegate committee of council until the end of the financial year and ordered him to apologise to council.

He is no longer the mayor.