By Kristy McDonald
ALLEGATIONS of political ‘payback’ and the death of democracy in Brimbank City Council have left the community, with the support of four councillors, demanding that the council be sacked.
The council announced a special meeting on Wednesday afternoon, to be held that evening “in accordance with Section 17 of the Meeting Procedure Local Law 2006”, to discuss the Community Facilities and Reserves Allocation policy.
Sydenham Soccer Club members and supporters, whose tenancy at Keilor Lodge Reserve may be reviewed under the policy, demanded blood after councillor Natalie Suleyman attempted to kick them out of the meeting – and they just might get it.
Four councillors have confirmed they will demand that Local Government Minister Richard Wynne take immediate action to dissolve the council.
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They are councillors Costas Socratous, Miles Dymott, Troy Atanasovski and Margaret Giudice.
In a bipartisan show of support for the community, Keilor MP George Seitz and Liberal MLC Bernie Finn said they would also demand the council’s sacking.
“When Parliament resumes (today, Tuesday) I will be rising in my place to call on the Local Government Minister to sack (Brimbank City) council,” Mr Finn said.
“Good governance at Brimbank is clearly something in the distant past – it has become an intra-factional jihad.
“This is payback by Natalie Suleyman and her cronies on council for not supporting her preselection in Kororoit.
“The Minister now has a responsibility to immediately get rid of this mob, and if the Minister doesn’t sack the council, he himself should resign.
“It is time that we closed this three-ring circus down.”
About 80 community members, including young players from the Sydenham Soccer Club, residents’ and ratepayers’ groups and Mr Seitz, entered the council chambers’ public gallery up until 7pm, when councillors were seated and the traditional prayer was read.
Cr Suleyman then moved that the meeting be held in camera, out of the public view, which resulted in an explosion of insults, allegations and questions flying from the gallery.
Six councillors, including Cr Suleyman, quickly adjourned out of chambers, where the remainder of the meeting was conducted in camera and under tight security.
As one of the four councillors willing to relinquish his current local government position, Cr Dymott said the decision to move the meeting behind closed doors was a poor one.
He said he believed the Sydenham Soccer Club was being targeted for political reasons, and other clubs whose tenancy at local sporting grounds was also up for review could also be at risk.
“The way this was done is unprecedented and there was no good reason to do it other than to hide what they were doing,” Cr Dymott said.
“It is a very sad day for democracy in Brimbank.”
Cr Dymott said the sacking of the council could be the only measure to restore order in Brimbank.
“It would be unfortunate, but we are in such a situation that is what it will take to restore the democratic process that’s being destroyed,” he said.
The Community Reserves and Allocation Policy is expected to be in the order of business at tonight’s ordinary Brimbank Council meeting.
Cr Suleyman was contacted for comment but did not respond before Star went to press.
