Wyndham councillor Intaj Khan will come under council scrutiny over his role in a social media stoush with residents.
Cr Khan took to the Wyndham Residents United Facebook group last Wednesday night and attacked his own council, claiming it was delaying a state government plan to build an Indian Cultural Precinct in the area and had “sneakily changed” the name of the project to the South Asian Cultural Precinct.
When residents pointed out that the money for the precinct’s feasibility study had only been allocated late last year, Cr Khan threatened to sue one resident and accused another of being part of a “fake news group”.
It is believed the council has received a complaint about the Facebook exchange.
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the council was aware of Cr Khan’s statements and was looking into them.
“Whether there has been a breach of the councillor code of conduct will be assessed as part of that process,” Ms Grigsby said.
Under the councillor code of conduct, councillors must avoid conflicts between their public duties as councillors and their personal interests and obligations and should communicate with all people in a clear and respectful manner.
Speaking to Star Weekly last week, Cr Khan was unapologetic about the online exchange.
“I wrote it, it’s my writing,” he said.
“If the government have spent the money to make it an Indian cultural precinct, all I’m advocating is that it should be an Indian Cultural Precinct, not South Asian.
“Why are people changing the agenda? Because they don’t like Indians.
“I’m not the one who has announced this cultural precinct, it’s the Dan Andrews government … I’ll be sending a letter to council saying how they’re confusing people by asking them about a South Asian Cultural precinct.
“These people are going crazy on me and I’m not going to take any shit any more. If I say wrong, then sue me.”
He vowed to sue anyone for “writing inappropriate, wrong information”.
“I’ve got a screenshot, I’ll sue them,” he said.
