Salim Mehajer fronts public inquiry into Auburn Council

CONTROVERSIAL former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has taken the stand at an inquiry into alleged dodgy planning decisions.

Salim Mehajer has faced questioning over alleged dodgy planning decisions. Picture Craig Greenhill

CONTROVERSIAL former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has taken the stand at an inquiry into alleged dodgy planning decisions and denied that he ran for council to push his multi-million dollar development through.

A public inquiry has been examining the conduct of Auburn Councillors in relation to allegations they misused their positions and made development decisions to benefit themselves and their families.

All Auburn councillors were dismissed by NSW Local Government Minister Paul Toole in February, pending the findings of the inquiry.

Mr Mehajer, who made headlines following his lavish wedding to his wife Aysha last year, today took the stand from midday and denied all allegations of professional misconduct.

Mr Mehajer’s company, Sydney Constructions and Developments, was awarded a John St council-owned car-park contract in 2011 for $6.5 million.

Counsel assisting for the Auburn Public Inquiry, Paul Bolster, today suggested problems had emerged by June 2012 that would have prevented it going through council within the agreed time of the original contract.

Mr Mehajer requested a time extension to secure the car park contract before he was a councillor in 2012 but the application was rejected.

Mehajer joined the council following the September, 2012 election. His request for a time extension was then approved.

From that point on, all of Mr Mehajer’s requests for extensions and variations on the tender contract were approved by the council.

Mr Bolster today asked Mr Mehajer if he ran for council in 2012 to aid the car park development.

“Did your decision to run for council have anything to do with the positions that you were in, in relation to the John St purchase?” Mr Bolster asked.

Mr Mehajer: “The simple answer is ‘no’.”

Mr Mehajer also wrote to council requesting to have half of a $650,000 deposit he paid for a council-owned car park returned.

Salim Mehajer has denied all allegations of professional misconduct.

The council initially rejected the request but later in 2013 agreed to grant Mr Mehajer a $325,000 refund, against legal advice.

Mr Bolster asked Mr Mehajer if he had lobbied fellow councillor, Hicham Zraika, to change his initial vote after a council meeting.

Mr Mehajer: “Absolutely not.”

Mr Bolster: “You were upset ... disappointed?”

Mr Mehajer: “No I wasn’t.”

Mr Mehajer was also quick to quash suggestions his success had strong links to his previously jailed developer father Mohamad Mehajer.

“He had a small contribution but 90 per cent of my success is myself,” he said.

The inquiry has previously heard the former deputy general manager of the council, Hamish McNulty, thought Mr Mehajer’s wedding was going to involve only one helicopter until the night before the celebration, which ended up including four aircraft.

The celebration, which included a cavalcade of sports cars, shut down parts of Lidcombe last August.

Mr McNulty said the council originally understood Mr Mehajer wanted to have a helicopter land on the street but was given advice that wouldn’t be approved.

Salim Mehajer’s lavish wedding involved helicopters, supercars, motorbikes, fighter jets a dancing drummers.

Mr Mehajer and his wife Aysha shot to prominence last year when their lavish wedding sparked national headlines. At the time he expressed an ambition to one day become prime minister.

However, his more pedestrian aim — to simply re-enter local politics — could take a blow if the inquiry finds he or any of his fellow councillors broke the rules in their council dealings.

In February, the NSW Supreme overturned a four-month suspension order made solely on Mr Mehajer by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Office of Local Government was subsequently forced to pay his legal costs.

The inquiry continues.