By Matt Crossman
A Hume councillor plans to appeal a one-month suspension handed down last week after a probe into a heated meeting last year about Sunbury’s separation from Hume.
As reported by Star Weekly online, Sunbury-based councillor Jack Medcraft will be barred from all council meetings, briefings and events until the suspension, which started on Sunday, is complete.
Fellow Sunbury councillor Jack Ogilvie was reprimanded.
Last week’s Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) hearing, which followed an independent inquiry held earlier this year, followed complaints made after a meeting at Broadmeadows Town Hall last September.
It was alleged Cr Medcraft tussled with a Broadmeadows Progress Association supporter over a sign and yelled at a number of people.
Cr Ogilvie was accused of intimidating behaviour during the brief confrontation that ensued.
Cr Medcraft said he would appeal the 30-day ban at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
He said the Sunbury councillors had not been given a fair hearing. Cr Medcraft, who stood as an independent candidate at last November’s state election, claimed the initial investigation was politically motivated.
He said those present for the latest hearing were not required to give evidence under oath.
‘‘I’ll be challenging the judgement and the sentence,’’ Cr Medcraft said. ‘‘The [MAV] panel was given the same report as the previous inquiry which cleared everybody.’’
Cr Medcraft described the two-person panel as ‘‘a kangaroo court’’.
‘‘None of the witnesses were questioned as part of the hearing,’’ he said.
‘‘I feel we’ve been shafted here.’’
Hume council’s city governance and information director, Daryl Whitford, would confirm only that a report from a recently completed conduct panel would be tabled at Monday night’s council meeting, after
Star Weekly went to press.
‘‘All parties have been notified of the outcome,’’ he said.
