Victorian MP Bernie Finn tells parliament Wyndham Council should be sacked

THE bullying between Wyndham councillors behind closed doors has become so bad that one MP has called on the government to sack the lot of them.

Bernie Finn on steps of Parliament

BULLYING, threats and payback is allegedly happening behind the closed doors of Wyndham Council.

And the accusations have increased so much that Western Metropolitan Region MP Bernie Finn has told parliament the councillors should be axed.

The council is now in the spotlight after Mr Finn raised the matter in Victorian State Parliament earlier this week with the Minister for Local Government, dubbing some councillors as “out of control”.

“We have had numerous instances of late of councillors bullying other councillors behind closed doors,” he said.

“We have had numerous instances, I understand, of councillors threatening other councillors behind closed doors and payback and all sorts of examples on the nastier side of life that we have come to expect when people get out of control.

“It seems that is exactly what has happened — a good number of councillors at Wyndham are indeed right out of control.”

Mr Finn told parliament there was something bad happening in Wyndham.

“Wyndham Council was by far the best council in the western suburbs,” he said.

“But sadly, something has gone awry.”

Mr Finn said councillors should be sacked at Wyndham like they were at Brimbank Council in 2009.

He commended the administrators who had since taken over at Brimbank and said it was time to do the same at Wyndham because “governance has broken down”.

But Wyndham Council chief executive, Kelly Grigsby, said the council took seriously its obligations to provide a healthy workplace and to protect councillors from bullying and harassment.

“Where there are issues relating to bullying or inappropriate conduct between councillors, these are managed by the Councillor Code of Conduct,” she said.

“Councillors can lodge a complaint via the code to address alleged contraventions.

“Currently, the organisation is investigating matters relating to behaviour that is not in-keeping with the standards outlined in the code.

“Given that matters are unresolved, it would be inappropriate to comment on specific details.”

She made clear there were no concerns regarding the governance of the council.

History proves the council is no stranger to the odd scandal.

MELBOURNE’S MOST EXPENSIVE CAT

Council was criticised in 2012 for a $60,000 bronze cat, which was dubbed ugly and grotesque.

The three-metre feline was installed at the Wyndham Vale Community and Learning Centre at a cost to the ratepayers.

It wasn’t the first time the claws came out over council’s choice of art.

Controversy was stirred in 2011 when a four-metre hardwood display cabinet was approved for Truganina’s Arndell Park Community Centre.

It was at a cost of $51,000 to ratepayers.

THE EXORBITANT TRIPS TO CANBERRA

TheStar Weeklyreported earlier this month Wyndham Council spent a whopping $14k on two trips to Canberra for council staff in just four months.

Five people travelled to the ACT in October for three days to meet Federal Government ministers and shadow ministers.

Star Weekly revealed the trip cost ratepayers a total of $6842.

A trip to the nation’s capital in June cost $7489.

Council defended the trip, saying it was beneficial and would get Wyndham’s needs brought to the attention of the government.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

Five workers were sacked in 2013 after Wyndham Council hired a private investigator to spy on parks and gardens workers.

One worker was reinstated after he lodged a case with the Fair Work Commission.

The council had to pay the worker for the time spent between getting fired and reinstated.

The Wyndham Leaderreported council spent $241,000 on fighting unfair dismissal claims and $87,992 on hiring the spy.

TRASH MOUNTAIN

In 2013 Wyndham Council proceeded with plans for a 45-metre high mountain of trash at Werribee.

The EPA confirmed the council was seeking approval to increase the rubbish hill from 26 metres.

Star Weekly reported council had a master plan to raise the mountain to 100 metres.

Residents were already disgusted by the smell of the tip and were concerned it would become an eyesore.