A BILL is before the Victorian Parliament which will compel Brimbank Councillor Robert Bozinovski to chose between his role as a councillor and his job as an electorate officer for Gorton MP Brendan O’Connor.
The Local Government Amendment (Conflicting Details) will alter the eligibility criteria for councillors.
It comes in response to findings in an Ombudsman’s report that some former Brimbank councillors working for MPs had been influenced in making council-related decisions.
If passed, the changes would mean that people who are members of any Australian Parliament whether working for MPs as electorate officers, ministerial advisers or parliamentary advisers would not be eligible to hold the office of a councillor in Victoria.
The bill could be passed as early as September and as outlined in the bill, councillors would have only seven days to make a decision.
Cr Bozinovski said in May that he was torn and had not decided if we would choose his full-time job or his position as councillor. Cr Bozinovski was overseas at the time of print and not available for comment.
