By LAURA WAKELY
KEILOR Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA) president Susan Jennison has denied claims she’ll become a Brimbank administrator.
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins suggested Ms Jennison would join the new line-up of administrators, which will include current Executive Director of Local Government Victoria John Watson as Chair of Administrators and Peter Lewinsky, during Parliament last week.
Ms Hutchins spoke against the bill to keep Brimbank City Council under administration until 2015 as she said not enough consultation about elections was held with the community.
The Labor politician alleged the only residents who were consulted about council elections were the Keilor branch of the Liberal Party, of which Ms Jennison is a member.
Ms Hutchins said those Liberal branch members had a “direct line” to Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell’s office and a “cosy little relationship” with one of the current administrators.
She said Ms Jennison’s “strong connection” with the administrator, who was not named, meant that she was the only person consulted about Keilor events such as next year’s 150th celebrations.
“It is possible that there will be an announcement that she has been appointed as the third administrator,” Ms Hutchins said.
But Ms Jennison hit back at the comments, calling them “below the belt”.
“I don’t know why she has decided to single me out,” Ms Jennison told Star.
“She certainly knows something I don’t know. What she says about the third administrator… I know nothing about it.”
Ms Jennison said the topic of whether Brimbank was ready for a return to elected councillors had come up within the Liberal Party, but that she was one of many residents who wanted the administration to continue.
Ms Jennison said it was unlikely a local resident would be chosen to join the administration.
She also called the comments about her relationship with the council “absurd” and said she took part in consultation processes with other members of KRRA and the Keilor Historical Society, of which she is also a member.
“One person does not turn a government,” Ms Jennison said.
The bill passed in the Legislative Assembly by three votes, with Labor members, including Ms Hutchins, Derrimut MP Telmo Languiller and Kororoit MP Marlene Kairouz, opposing the legislation.
