A Wyndham councillor has been missing in action for two-thirds of all council briefings since being re-elected five months ago – more absences than all other councillors combined.
Councillor Intaj Khan attended in full only three of 29 briefings, workshops and forums between November last year and March.
He was noted as absent for 10 of the briefings, an apology for nine, and was late for seven, according to an attendance record tabled at each council meeting.
An apology is recorded when a councillor says they will not be attending, while a councillor is considered to be absent when they are a no-show without notifying the council.
In comparison, Wyndham’s 10 other councillors collectively notched up 18 apologies over the same period.
Councillor Mia Shaw missed four meetings, councillors Peter Maynard, Heather Marcus and John Gibbons were apologies for three apiece, and councillors Walter Villagonzalo, Kim McAliney, Tony Hooper, Josh Gilligan, and Henry Barlow each missed one.
Councillor Aaron An has not missed any.
Cr Khan disputed the figures, despite approving the records at each council meeting.He attributed his absences to being unwell and spending six weeks in India to attend his sister’s wedding in December. He could not provide Star Weekly with exact dates of his overseas trip.
“I’ve been in many, many organisational meetings – I’m not sure how that’s not coming up. Sometimes I may be running late … but I’ve been to many meetings.
“Councillors get all of this material in advance, and I read the material before I go to a council meeting.
“As per the law, you have to attend council meetings, and briefings are also required, but if you are sick, what can you do?”
“I’ve attended many community functions … there are many councillors who are not attending community functions.”
Cr Khan said he’d like to see the start time of briefings pushed back.
But Wyndham council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said starting times of briefings had already changed to accommodate councillors with work commitments.
“Whilst attendance at councillor briefings is not a legislative requirement, it is something that we actively encourage,” Ms Grigsby said.
