Donation raises questions for Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour
Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour accepted donations through a company owned by a property developer during local government elections, potentially in breach of NSW electoral laws.
Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour accepted donations through a company owned by a property developer during the 2021 local government elections, potentially in breach of NSW electoral laws.
An investigation by The Australian can reveal an entity related to David Fam, owner of the $80m Little Saigon Plaza in Bankstown, in Sydney’s southwest, made a $6600 donation to Mr Asfour’s mayoral election campaign in November 2021.
The donation was made via a company called Mr Bing Soo, a dessert business located within Little Saigon Plaza in which Mr Fam has a 50 per cent stake through an entity known as Liscorp Pty Ltd, according to ASIC corporate records.
Under NSW electoral laws, a company in which a person defined as a property developer has more than a 20 per cent stake is prohibited from making political donations.
A spokesman for Mr Asfour denied the mayor received a donation from a property developer, saying: “A donation was made to his campaign fund from a local business which trades in sweets and desserts.”
But he did not respond to follow-up questions asking whether the mayor knew Mr Fam personally or professionally. Mr Fam did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Mr Fam has made a number of development applications with Bankstown council, and the amalgamated Canterbury-Bankstown council since 2009, passing the threshold of what the NSWEC defines as a property developer.
Anyone who meets the threshold for being a property developer, or a close associate, is considered a prohibited donor under NSWEC rules, barring all donations from these sources.
A NSW Electoral Commission spokeswoman said if a person accepted an unlawful donation, the value of the donation, or double the value if accepted knowingly, could be recovered.
“It is a criminal offence for a prohibited donor to make a political donation or for a person to accept a political donation made by a prohibited donor. If the Electoral Commission forms the view that an offence has been committed, it can institute proceedings in the relevant court. Only the court can ultimately find this offence and impose a fine,” she said.
The spokeswoman declined to say if the matter was being investigated by the commission.
Canterbury-Bankstown council has held events at Little Saigon Plaza, including one Christmas celebration at the Highline Venue in 2019.
Mr Fam’s donation could land Mr Asfour in hot water.
Former NSW MP Garry Edwards was expelled from the Liberal Party in 2011 after reports emerged he had received $1500 from a banned property donor ahead of the state election.
Mr Asfour – mayor of Bankstown council, then the amalgamated Canterbury-Bankstown council since 2004 – has faced a torrent of pressure since October, after several controversies related to his council expenses derailed his selection on Labor’s upper house ticket for the NSW election.
He withdrew from running just over a week ago claiming he had been subjected to a “vicious smear campaign” by the media.
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