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Whittlesea Council sacked after removal of ex-cop boss Simon Overland
The Andrews government has sacked Whittlesea Council amid allegations of bullying among councillors and the removal of controversial police boss Simon Overland.
Naomi Neilson
The move follows a report from municipal monitor Yehudi Blacher that found a serious breach of governance standards, due particularly to the personality conflicts “that have rendered it dysfunctional”. Mr Overland, former chief executive, was booted out at the end of 2019 from his $400,000-a-year role over conflict with fellow councillors.
Minister for Local Government Adem Somyurek said the residents and ratepayers will have every right to be “deeply disappointed in their council”.
“The monitor found councillors have stopped acting in the best interests of the City of Whittlesea and recommend immediate dismissal and replacement with administrators. We accept the recommendations,” Mr Somyurek said in a statement.
In November last year, Mr Overland said he chose to step down from the city council due to his “health and safety” concerns. He said the situation had been difficult for two years and he had not been successful in “achieving improvement” for Whittlesea.
In his previous role as chief commissioner of Victoria Police, and the most senior police member at the centre of the Lawyer X scandal, Mr Overland resigned following public pressure from critics – inside and outside the force – who questioned his performance.
Disgraced barrister Nicola Gobbo, or Lawyer X, said Mr Overland is “evil, corrupt and dishonest” and took issue with the “upper echelons of the force”. During the hearings of the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants, Mr Overland was pointed at by several members of the force for being the most responsible.
During his own examination, Mr Overland wasted no time in shifting the blame towards his employer, telling Ms Gobbo’s council that Victoria Police had “leaked like a sieve”.
This lack of governance seemed to follow into Whittlesea Council. The report by state government found councillors’ behaviours were not consistent with the Councillor Code of Conduct and caused “significant harm” to administration and reputation.
“The monitor concluded present council cannot deliver the good governance needed by the City of Whittlesea,” read the statement. “The monitor has recommended council be dismissed and administrators appointed until at least the 2024 general election.”
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
