By Charlene Macaulay
Wyndham councillor Intaj Khan has been charged with nine offences for failing to disclose all his business and property interests in his register of interest returns.
The Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate last week announced Cr Khan had been charged with three counts of failing to disclose companies in which he held office during the return period; three counts of failing to disclose companies in which he held a financial interest; two counts of failing to submit ordinary returns; and one count of failing to disclose property holdings.
The charges relate to returns filed between February, 2016, and February, 2017.
Cr Khan will front Werribee Magistrate’s Court on September 27 for an initial hearing. If found guilty of all nine charges, he could face fines of more than $85,000.
The Local Government Act 1989 requires individual councillors to lodge returns – which detail property holdings, board positions and the like – every six months while they are in office. This is to ensure councillors declare any conflicts of interest.
Speaking exclusively to
Star Weekly last week, Cr Khan questioned why the matter needed to be heard in court. He said the council should have issued him with reminders in the lead-up to return deadlines.
But former councillors Marie Brittan and Glenn Goodfellow, who served alongside Cr Khan during the previous council’s term, said council staff gave councillors several reminders.
Cr Khan is likely to retain his position as a councillor even if convicted of the charges. Section 29 of the Local Government Act, which details grounds for disqualification, does not include disqualification for a councillor convicted of breaching section 81 of the act, which relates to the filing of returns.
Many residents took to the
Wyndham Star Weekly Facebook last week calling for Cr Khan to be suspended or stood down.
Colin wrote: “It’s an absolute disgrace that he is allowed to remain an elected member of the council.”
Chief municipal inspector David Wolf said this matter was separate to the recent interviews conducted by the inspectorate with the majority of candidates in the 2016 Wyndham council election. A report into that investigation is expected in coming weeks.
“The inspectorate has additional matters in the final stages of investigation, which will conclude shortly. These matters do not relate to the elected councillors,” he said.
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the council would continue to work with the inspectorate.
“All of the charges relate to matters for which each individual councillor has responsibility,” she said.
■ Q&A with Cr Khan: Pages 10-11
