Lockdown activism made Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour ‘political target’

Khal Asfour has denied allegations of misusing council funds and withholding a company directorship, claiming that he was a ‘political target’ for criticising NSW’s extended lockdown.

Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour has denied allegations that he misused council funds and failed to declare a company directorship, saying he had a “political target” on his back after he criticised the NSW government for its extended lockdown.

The aspiring Labor Upper House member was flanked by two lawyers when he fronted a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday to respond to allegations that he unfairly billed ratepayers for a Masters of Business Administration and personal travel, and withheld that he was the director and secretary of a company named Melbourne Grande.

In a hearing punctuated by frequent interruptions for the western Sydney Mayor to consult his lawyers and requests to take a question on notice, Mr Asfour launched a scathing attack of his critics who have “besmirched” his good name with “wild, unsubstantiated allegations”.

The inquiry, called by Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman, comes after Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk sensationally quit the Labor Party after she accused Mr Asfour of using his position to further the interests of notorious former Labor MP Eddie Obeid.

“It’s no secret that former prime minister Scott Morrison’s former head kickers are now operating here at Macquarie Street, and Minister Tuckerman is clearly a puppet of these faceless men, Morrison men and spin kings, doing their bidding,” Mr Asfour said.

When asked who was paying for his ample legal representation, Mr Asfour said he would have to take the question on notice before consulting with his lawyers and revealing that the council’s insurance was footing the bill.

He also asked if he could take it on notice when he was probed about his company EAL Consulting, including what clients it services. The committee also heard the company did not have an ABN.

“I haven’t done much work through EAL for a long time, I don’t have the details at hand, the terms of reference for this inquiry are broad and I did not bring myself up to speed with the history of EAL Consulting,” he said.

The committee accused Mr Asfour of “zipping up” after he told the hearing the “truth was his defence”, discrediting his claims that he did not know who were the company’s clients when he was the sole owner.

“It is just not credible having listed this as a source of income to say he has no knowledge of who he is doing the consulting for, who pays the income to him, he must know and has a legal obligation to tell this committee,” One Nation MP Mark Latham said.

Mr Asfour was also grilled about his MBA – for which the council reimbursed him about $10,500 – and his overseas travels to the US, Mexico and Britain.

The hearing heard he was reimbursed $6469 for a study tour to London’s East End exceeding the council’s budget of $5000. Mr Asfour put questions on if this included flights on notice. It also heard Canterbury-Bankstown council spent $21,795 flying seven councillors to Albury for a local government conference.

The committee also probed Mr Asfour on who paid for English Premier League tickets which had written on them that they cost zero pounds.

Mr Latham also asked Mr Asfour whether he had any knowledge that Canterbury-Banks-town chief executive Matthew Stewart told people that working with Mr Asfour is “like babysitting a grown man”. Mr Asfour rejected these claims.

Mr Latham also claimed a document listing serious allegations against Mr Stewart, which had been compiled by his wife, was circulating in the community.