Alternative Media Group

Mallard sets out to clear his name

Author:

Ehssan Veiszadeh

Posted:

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Liberal Councillor Shayne Mallard has moved to clear his name after a NSW Department of Local Government investigation dismissed allegations he failed to declare political donations from development applicants.

In October last year, Cr Mallard was accused of breaching the Council’s code of conduct for debating and voting on a development application where he had received a large donation from the applicant.

Last week a letter from the NSW Department of Local Government dismissed those allegations and said they did not warrant further action.

The letter did not address allegations Cr Mallard received in-kind donations of over $1000 by using a free CBD office space for his 2008 election campaign.

Cr Mallard said he was vindicated by the findings of the investigation and that his name had been cleared. “Those with a vendetta against me as the sole Liberal elected to the City of Sydney should think twice before embarking on another attempted character assassination,” Cr Mallard said in a statement.

“The Greens have been caught out misusing their position in Parliament and their bogus watchdog ‘Democracy4Sale’ has been exposed as a political sham.”

“Now that I have been totally cleared the question for the Greens and their agents is will they apologise and desist from the politics of mud throwing that only damages the standing all people elected to serve in public office?”

Director of the Greens’ Democracy4Sale research project Dr Norman Thompson said there were still unanswered questions surrounding Cr Mallard’s conduct. “The Department of Local Government may have ignored Cr Mallard’s own signed return showing large donations from the George Thomas group of hotels,” he said.

“If such returns are ignored by the Local Government Department, then the Code of Conduct for all NSW councils is worthless.”

“If that is correct, how can our citizens have any confidence in decisions made by their local council, especially those with a Liberal Party majority.”

by Ehssan Veiszadeh

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