Anger over councillor land swap

Alex de Vos
Geelong’s next council would be left to deal with a controversial transfer of land worth more than $1 million to the employer of a councillor, Mayor Bruce Harwood said yesterday.
Cr Harwood said the incumbent council had no power to overturn the decision or to investigate alleged conflicts of interest in the land transfer to job services provider CREATE.
“There’s nothing we can do because we’re in caretaker mode,” Cr Harwood said.
“It’s up to the new council and it’s their decision to move on with it or draft a recision.”
Councillors voted this week to approve Cr Lou Brazier’s motion to give the $1 million block to CREATE for new offices.
Cr Brazier also won colleagues’ approval to hand $6500 of her councillor discretionary fund to another employer, Norlane Neighbourhood House.
Both transfers drew accusations of conflict of interest from councillors. Some councillors also opposed the land transfer because it had not been investigated.
Tom O’Connor, Peter McMullin, David Saunderson, Tony Ansett and John Mitchell backed both motions despite the accusations of their colleagues.
Andrew Katos, Rod Macdonald, Bruce Harwood, Barbara Abley and Jan Farrell voted against the transfer of council assets.
Cr Harwood refused to speculate whether Cr Braziers’ involvement in the organsiations were conflicts of interest.
“You’ll have to ask her. I voted the way I saw was appropriate.”
Cr Brazier did not return the Independent’s call for comment before the paper went to press yesterday afternoon.