VICTORIA’S local government watchdog is investigating a shire councillor over alleged conflict of interest. The Local Government Inspectorate has interviewed Cr Graham Pittock after an anonymous complaint from within the shire council about him voting on the Southern Peninsula Aquatic Centre (SPA). Cr Pittock owns squash courts and a gymnasium in the Dromana industrial estate, and the complaint is he should not be voting on SPA matters since a gymnasium was added to the aquatic centre project on 12 June. This was when SPA was enlarged from 4800 to 6800 square metres. But a council insider, who would not be…
Day: September 20, 2012
A CHARTERED accountant with a 20-year career in local government prior to 1995 is standing in Nepean Ward on the southern peninsula. Bryan Payne, 65, will be after one of the two seats in the new multi-member ward, which is held by Crs Bill Goodrem and Tim Rodgers. Mr Payne lives in Portsea and is involved in many Sorrento organisations including Sorrento Sports Club (president); the RSL (treasurer); David MacFarlan Reserve committee (chairman); the football, cricket and bowling clubs; Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club; and the chamber of commerce. He is a member of Portsea Golf Club. He is CEO…
THE completion date for Peninsula Link is under a cloud after Lend Lease, the parent company of freeway builder Abigroup, announced it was “conducting an immediate and thorough investigation” into cost discrepancies. Last week, four senior managers were suspended over alleged under-reporting of potential losses of the freeway project, which has been plagued by wet weather since construction started in 2010. Lend Lease suspended Peter Brecht, managing director of Lend Lease’s Australian construction arm; Darrell Hendry, chief financial officer of Lend Lease’s infrastructure section; Abigroup managing director David Jurd; and Abigroup chief financial officer David Walker. Lend Lease, which acquired…