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‘Stand down’ claim rejected
By Cimara Pearce
26th May 2009 11:05:19 AM
Cr Sam David
BRIMBANK Mayor Troy Atanasovski and fellow councillor Sam David have rejected claims they were asked to step down from the council following the release of the Ombudsman’s explosive report earlier this month.
The pair both featured prominently in the report and were named as being part of the council’s former and present ruling factions.
Current Greens Councillor Geraldine Brooks as well as eminent community figures last week said that Cr David and Cr Atanasovski had been asked to stand down temporarily while investigations into possible breaches of the Local Government Act were undertaken.
Cr Brooks told Star that she had witnessed a suggestion during a briefing with the council’s government appointed monitor, Bill Scales, that Cr David stand down during the investigations.
“It was put to Sam – I’m not quite sure how it came up. The time I remember is in our discussion with Bill Scales – it might have been another councillor who brought it up – that Sam should take a leave of absence,” Cr Brooks said.
“He didn’t say anything. It was really more he was silent rather than arguing against it and he has remained silent about it.
“He’s sliding under the radar a bit. I think he’s trying to forget about it.”
Cr Brooks said she was unaware if Cr Atanasovski was asked to step down from the council. However, Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association president Darlene Reilly said she believed the same suggestion to stand down was put to Cr Atanasovski.
“I haven’t seen or heard him (Cr Atanasovski) mentioned but I wouldn’t be surprised,” Cr Brooks said.
“It’s quite strange that they’re continuing to serve on council, because my automatic reaction if I was named in the Ombudsman’s report – I’d be quite be embarrassed and ashamed and I’d find it hard to walk around in public, let alone get up in front of the council chamber.
“I find it quite extraordinary they can walk around and there’s no apology.”
But both councillors refuted the claims and said they had not been approached by anybody suggesting they took a leave of absence from their roles.
“You only take a leave of absence when officially charged,” Cr David told Star.
“You’re not guilty until you are proven guilty.
“I have not been asked by anyone (to take a leave of absence). It’s absolutely not true. It’s rubbish.”
Cr Atanasovski said the claims were “totally not true”.
“Sam and I were not asked to stand down, and all 10 of the councillors, except for one – the greeny obviously – are right behind Sam and I,” he said.
“The council is going forward beautifully. I don’t know why all of this is coming up. This council is functioning lovely at the moment and has functioned better than it has before.”
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