Top scandals that led to Whittlesea Council’s sacking
Dirty politics, police investigations and midnight sackings have marred Whittlesea Council since 2016. We take a look back at some of the key moments that led to the local government’s demise.
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Whittlesea Council was sensationally sacked last month, with the State Government monitor claiming the local government authority was “broken”.
Four years of scandals, police investigations and controversial decision-making behind closed doors led to the council’s demise.
We take a look back at some of the defining moments, starting at the 2016 council elections.
ELECTION POSTERS DEFACED
A Whittlesea councillor standing for re-election in the 2016 council elections was sprung defacing campaign posters belonging to his opponents.
Members of the public caught John Fry, a former Whittlesea Council mayor, in the act on the morning of October 14.
The incident was photographed by witnesses and posted on the Facebook page of another councillor at the time, Ricky Kirkham.
The images showed Mr Fry handcuffed on the ground — with an aerosol can next to him — and being ushered inside a police van.
He was arrested and charged with criminal damage and was later bailed.
Despite the charges, Mr Fry did not withdraw his candidacy for the council election that year.
He was not elected.
SHOCK DISMISSAL
Whittlesea Council’s rampant revolving door of chief executives started with the shock dismissal of Michael Wootten in March 2017.
He was the council’s second chief executive in a year following the controversial dismissal of former boss David Turnbull 11 months prior.
Yan Yean state Labor MP Danielle Green claimed both sackings came “without warning”.
“It seems there is a culture of bullying and abuse of councillor power and resources. I abhor the way that these two fine men in Mr Wootten and Mr Turnbull have been treated,” she said during parliament.
A subsequent State Government investigation into the council was opened, with Ms Green requesting the Local Government Minister at the time, Natalie Hutchins, to intervene.
PARKING CONTROVERSY
Whittlesea mayor Kris Pavlidis came under fire when she parked in a designated disabled spot while attending the launch of a new cafe for people with intellectual disabilities.
Her black Holden Calais was snapped in the designated space while she was inside Mill Park Library for the grand opening of Chancez Cafe in November 2017.
The incident drew wide criticism, from Whittlesea ratepayers to leaders in the disability sector.
It was understood at the time Cr Pavlidis was directed to park in the spot by Yarra Plenty Regional Library staff who were managing traffic at the event.
Cr Pavlidis later apologised for her actions.
“I am disappointed that I didn’t follow my instinct not to park where I was directed to,’’ she told Leader.
“Library staff have reassured me that my error of judgment didn’t inconvenience someone that genuinely needed the spot. Nevertheless I do apologise for parking there and although the fine of $159 can’t be issued in retrospect, I will be donating $200 to Chancez cafe to support the work of this wonderful initiative.”
CAUCUS BREACHED
Whittlesea Council elected its new mayor and Australia’s youngest leader in local government history in November 2019.
But the achievement was marred when Cr Emilia Sterjova breached caucus solidarity by accepting a non-Labor vote to help elevate her to the top job.
It was a move which caused her to be expelled from the Australian Labor Party and proved to be a turning point in the council’s dramatic fall.
AXED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Councillors voted to sack Simon Overland despite the chief executive being on stress-related leave at the time.
Cr Sterjova called for the December 10 council meeting to be closed to the public for an “urgent and confidential item”.
Leader confirmed the next morning the meeting had been abruptly halted to allow councillors to terminate the former Victoria Police chief’s contract.
The scandal caused the State Government to step in and appoint an independent monitor to oversee future issues and decisions.
COUNCIL SACKED
Weeks of scandal since late 2019 including a police investigation into the mayor and a councillor’s shock resignation led to the council’s demise in early March.
State Government monitor Yehudi Blacher handed down his report three weeks early recommending the council be immediately sacked.
It followed explosive claims of workplace bullying, poor staff morale and inappropriate use of ratepayers’ money.
FUNDS FOR LEGAL FEUDS
A Leader investigation revealed Whittlesea ratepayers had unknowingly been footing council legal bills amounting to more than $254,000 over the past 18 months.
Sacked councillors had splashed $254,452.64 on disputes against their former chief executive Simon Overland in the past two financial years alone.
Freedom of information documents obtained by Leader showed the council was billed 16 times, and by seven different legal consultants, since the former Victoria Police chief went on stress leave on November 20 in 2019.
The council had only previously released a figure of $93,000 at a February meeting.