Wyndham council is in danger of becoming dysfunctional, with councillor Intaj Khan refusing to attend any meeting chaired by deputy mayor Kim McAliney.
In an email sent out to all councillors and the council’s executive leadership team on Saturday, Cr Khan stated that due to internal issues with Cr McAliney, he would not attend any meetings chaired by her in mayor Henry Barlow and chief executive Kelly Grigsby’s absence.
Ms Grigsby and Cr Barlow are in Canberra this week as part of a LeadWest delegation of western suburbs mayors and chief executives. As deputy mayor, it is Cr McAliney’s role to step in for the mayor and chair meetings when he is not available to do so.
Cr Khan stated he would be happy to attend meetings chaired by other councillors.
The email caps off a drama-filled week for Cr Khan, who last Wednesday accused fellow Labor preselection nominee Jasvinder Sidhu of branch-stacking in a Facebook post.
Cr Khan told Star Weekly he was keen to host an “American presidential-style debate” with Mr Sidhu and federal Lalor MP Joanne Ryan in the lead-up to preselection for the seat of Tarneit to debate branch-stacking and other local issues.
“This is an opportunity for everybody that wants to come and ask me about anything,” he said.
Despite repeated requests, Cr Khan could produce no proof that Mr Sidhu was branch-stacking. Mr Sidhu declined to comment on the issue.
Cr Khan remains a Labor Party member despite Ms Ryan writing to Premier Daniel Andrews last week calling for his membership to be revoked.
Ms Ryan said she was motivated to write to the Premier after attending the Wyndham Business Awards.
“I was once again put in the position where members of the community were asking me why, given the circumstances, he was still a member of the Labor Party,” she said.
Cr Khan however claimed Ms Ryan was racially discriminating against him.
“Why is she making a complaint about a local councillor? She is misusing her power … and wants to take me out before preselection kicks in.”
Labor party assisting state secretary Kosmos Samaras said the motion was brought before the Labor Party’s administrative committee last week, which did not have the power to expel members.
Mr Samaras said party members can lodge a complaint with the Victorian Disputes Tribunal requesting that a member be expelled.
