Salim Mehajer says Auburn sacking an “abuse of power” by NSW Government

SALIM Mehajer, who has already been stripped of his deputy mayor role, says the government’s latest move to sack Auburn Council is an “abuse of power”.

Salim Mehajer enters Burwood court for a AVO against him .pic John Grainger

EMBATTLED politician Salim Mehajer has said the NSW Government’s decision to give Auburn Council the flick is an “abuse of power” and has hinted at possible legal action to reverse the decision.

In what could be a death blow for the controversial property developer’s political ambitions, NSW Local Government Minister Paul Toole said on Wednesday the western Sydney council’s 10 councillors would be suspended while a public inquiry took place with an interim administrator taking over day-to-day decision making.

Mr Mehajer was deputy mayor at the council.

Late last month, Mr Toole gave Auburn Council two weeks to demonstrate why its councillors should not be suspended while an inquiry takes place.

The inquiry is looking into allegations a number of councillors misused their position to allegedly obtain positive planning outcomes for themselves, associated companies, relatives and fellow councillors.

The council responded by asking that councillors be allowed to remain but committed to not voting on planning decisions while the inquiry ran its course.

NSW Local Government Minister Paul Toole who announced Auburn Council’s suspension on Wednesday. Picture: Christian Gilles

‘AUBURN DESERVES A STRONG COUNCIL’

“After careful consideration of Auburn City Council’s submission and given the serious nature of the allegations the council is facing, it is clear that it is in the public interest to temporarily suspend the council during the course of the inquiry,” Mr Toole said.

“I have determined that it is in the public interest to remove the councillors to ensure that no further binding decisions are made during the course of the inquiry.

“Auburn ratepayers deserve a strong council that is acting in their best interests.”

With Auburn set to be merged with neighbouring councils, the decision likely spells the end for a council which was formed in 1949.

Mr Toole singled out a decision made by the council in December to sell a council owned car park in Lidcombe to a company owned by the Mehajer family to build an apartment block.

The minister said it was a cause for concern after it emerged the original sale price was well below a series of subsequent valuations.

Last week, Mr Mehajer’s wife Aysha, who is a director of a string of companies making up her husband’s property empire, dramatically went into bat for her husband pleading for his political life so he could build the multimillion-dollar block of units in question.

In a letter to Mr Toole, she said she was “perplexed” as to how the car park purchase could be cited as a reason to sack the councillors and a “proper analysis” of the circumstances would see an end to any “allegations of impropriety”.

Instagram photos of Salim Mehajer and wife Aysha. Picture: Instagram.

DISAPPOINTED

But the plea appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Talking to news.com.au on Wednesday morning, Mr Mehajer said while he respected the suspension he was “disappointed” there was no time limit to it and it had taken place prior to the inquiry.

“I believe that this has raised more concerns from the public relating to the minister’s abuse of power,” he said.

“Investigations should be made, concluded and then decisions finalised based on the findings,” he said.

“It is now a matter for the Australian legal system to play its roll [sic] to ensure justice is kept.”

Prior to the council’s sacking, Mr Mehajer himself was suspended from civic duty for four months in late January for failing to disclose his financial interest in rezoning proposals he voted on during council meetings in 2012 and 2013.

A valuer subsequently ruled that the rezoning changes increased the value of a property owned by the Mehajer family by $1 million.

The 29-year-old mounted a legal challenge earlier this month to the suspension, which stripped him of his deputy mayoral role. A decision on the suspension is expected within days but even if Mr Mehajer is reinstated, he now has no council to return to.

Speaking to news.com.au last week, Mr Mehajer said he believed councillors only had to disclose a conflict of interest, “when voting on policies that change the very nature of their properties from say, a house to a hotel,” and the rezoning, which raised building heights, was not in that category.

Long-time critic of Salim Mehajer, fellow councillor Irene Simms, says Auburn is a “proud council". Picture: James Croucher

‘IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT SALIM’

With the government seemingly determined to cut the number of local authorities, Auburn may no longer exist even if the inquiry finds some or all of the councillors acted appropriately with a proposal to split the council in two and merge it with Parramatta and Holroyd.

Auburn Residents Group councillor Irene Simms, and long-time critic of Mr Mehajer, told the Parramatta Advertiser the local community would be likely to support the decision to suspend the council.

“Lots of people have wanted an investigation, and have wanted Salim Mehajer to go for a long time. But it’s not just about Salim, it’s about the council in general.”

Talking to news.com.au after an emergency meeting in January to discuss the potential sacking and council mergers, she said, “Auburn Council is a very proud council and to go out probably on a suspension is a very sad way for this council to end if this is how it pans out.”

WHAT SALIM COULD DO NEXT

With Mr Mehajer’s time on Auburn Council seemingly at an end, speculation is rife about what his next move could be. However, the former Deputy Mayor might be disillusioned to find out that the public think his next job is unlikely to be in the political arena with an online bookmaker tipping a tilt at reality TV instead.

According to SportsBet, there’s a $21 chance he’ll pop up as an intruder on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here.

As for his political ambitions, the company says there is more chance of him becoming a wedding planner than Prime Minister with odds of $1001-1.

“Judging by his career prospects featured in our market, Mr Mehajer probably won’t need to venture to the Auburn Centrelink office any time soon,” said sportsbet.com.au spokesman Christian Jantzen.

‘’m a Celebrity might not be that far fetched with Mr Mehajer revealing late last year that he had been approached by a number of TV networks. But, whatever the show, he had a stipulation.

“My reputation is ever so important to me,” he told news.com.au. “If I was to appear on any [TV show] it will be one that maintains professionalism and does not depict behaviour that will tarnish my reputation … but also one that does not affect any individual.”

A show where he could be a role model for young people was his preference, he said.