City of Greater Geelong keeps report secret into key director’s conduct regarding investment property

The City of Greater Geelong has refused to reveal details of an Ombudsman’s report investigating allegations a key city director ‘misused city resources’ in relation to an investment property.

The City of Greater Geelong has refused to reveal details of an Ombudsman’s report investigating allegations a key city director ‘misused city resources’ while pursuing matters relating to his St Albans Park investment property.

The refusal came after Geelong’s director of city services Guy Wilson-Browne recently reintroduced a controversial planning application to subdivide his 3500sq m Oakwood Ridge property into two lots, after abandoning initial efforts in 2019 following community backlash.

Guy Wilson-Browne. Picture: Suppiled

Both the city and the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) recently rejected Geelong Advertiser’s Freedom of Information requests for access to a 2019 Ombudsman report relating to Mr Wilson-Browne and the investment property.

As set out in OVIC’s decision, the request was for access to “a report by the former City of Greater Geelong Internal Ombudsman John Brown, understood to have been handed to the CEO in 2019, investigating a complaint that then city services director Guy Wilson-Browne misused city resources (namely emails) to pursue private matters relating to his property at 7-8 Oakwood Ridge, St Albans Park”.

While the city refused to hand over the report, it did confirm it had located “one document falling within the terms of the Applicant’s request”, while OVIC noted the document was a four-page “memorandum” dated April 7, 2019.

“The memorandum subject to review was prepared following an internal investigation conducted by the Agency in relation to the conduct of a senior Agency officer,” OVIC’s Notice of Decision noted.

The Geelong Advertiser is not suggesting Mr Wilson-Browne was found to have misused his position in dealings relating to his investment property.

Geelong chief executive Martin Cutter on Friday would not say what actions, if any, he took after receiving the report.

“The city does not comment on personnel matters,” Mr Cutter responded to a series of questions from the Geelong Advertiser.

Mr Wilson-Browne on Friday also would not provide responses to questions regarding the specifics of the allegations or the Ombudsman’s report.

“My comment is that I appointed an external planning consultant who has dealt with all matters relating to the planning application,” Mr Wilson-Browne said.

“In carrying out my responsibilities for the City of Greater Geelong I have always acted with absolute integrity and in good faith and I strongly object to any suggestion to the contrary.”

Mr Wilson-Browne’s latest register of interests, lodged with the city in March 2022, lists the St Albans Park property as an “investment”.

Mr Wilson-Browne in 2019 withdrew an application to subdivide the land into three lots – with legal documents revealing he had previously hoped to slice up the land into four lots – following backlash from neighbours opposing the move.

His latest move to subdivide the land again prompted neighbours to raise concerns, including around the future of a significant tree with connections to racing royalty Phar Lap – which is understood to have recently won heritage protection.

Originally published as City of Greater Geelong keeps report secret into key director’s conduct regarding investment property