JULY 18, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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Khan fights conviction
(Marco De Luca)
Wyndham councillor Intaj Khan will appeal a conviction and $23,000 fine for the incomplete and late filing of ordinary returns. At Sunshine Magistrates Court on Monday, Magistrate Therese McCarthy fined Cr Khan a total of $8000 for two counts of failing to submit ordinary returns between February 2016 and February 2017 on time, and $15,000 total for three counts of failing to disclose companies in which he held office during the return period and three counts of failing to disclose companies in which he held a financial interest. Cr Khan pleaded guilty to all charges in a hearing last month. In handing down her findings, Magistrate McCarthy noted that the offences occurred shortly after a 2015 investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate which resulted in Cr Khan receiving a written warning and subsequent training, which specifically covered councillors’ obligations regarding ordinary returns. She said although Cr Khan had no prior criminal history and should “be credited for the significant contribution to the community you have made”, his non-compliance following this training was an “aggravating factor”. ■ Continued
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Councillors under review By Charlene Macaulay
travel expenses. Cr An said he was covering the cost of the trip himself. Among the competition organisers is the The Local Government Inspectorate is looking into a possible conflict of interest by two Eureka International Group, whose subsidiary company, EIG Developments, owns the Elpis Wyndham councillors. Councillors Aaron An and Walter estate in Truganina. Cr Villagonzalo said he believed not Villagonzalo are this week flying to Jinan, China, to be part of the judging panel for the attending would be a “wasted opportunity” for Overseas High-level Talents Innovation and Wyndham. “We asked for permission to go there as Entrepreneurship Competition. Both councillors were offered the all-expenses councillors, and they [the council] said, ‘No, paid trips. Despite being told by Wyndham you can only go there in your own personal council they could not attend as council capacity, you cannot bring business cards’,” he representatives, they opted to take a leave of said. “We need to network and build relationships absence from the council from July 19 to 24 to with local and overseas investors and those attend the event. Cr Villagonzalo said he was giving up his “free hosting these competitions. “If there is any conflict of interest that arises time” to attend and was allowing the organisers to pay for his flights, accommodation and other in the future, I will declare it.”
Cr An added: “I’m taking leave from council … therefore, I won’t be representing council during that period. I don’t believe there is any conflict of interest. But if there is any in the future, I’ll declare. “I’m paying for my own trip for some personal matters and will be visiting family relatives. “It would be good for me to see how other people organise big international innovation and entrepreneurship competitions.” Councillors Mia Shaw and Kim McAliney have condemned the trip. “It is still unclear to me how this is of benefit to our local community,” Cr Shaw said. “At the end of the day, it is the decision of the two councillors involved, but in my opinion it isn’t good governance and it is not something I support.” Cr McAliney said she did not support the
councillors going on the trip and had made her thoughts very clear. “They have been provided with advice … I stood on a platform of good governance and I don’t think this is,” she said. Wyndham council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said: “The councillors have been advised that should they elect to accept the invitation to China, they would need to declare the cost of the trip as a gift on council’s gift register and manage any subsequent conflicts of interest accordingly”. A Local Government Inspectorate spokesman said it was “assessing information related to a potential conflict of interest by two Wyndham City councillors”. The inspectorate declined to provide any further comment. Eureka International did not respond to Star Weekly’s request for comment by deadline.