Two candidates from the 2016 Wyndham council election have been placed on good behaviour bonds for failing to disclose in a timely manner who financially supported their campaigns.
Wanli (Lucy) Jiang and Sahra Ashkir fronted the Werribee Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday, both pleading guilty to failing to submit a campaign donation return following the 2016 council election.
Ms Jiang’s barrister argued his client wasn’t aware of her requirement to submit a campaign donation return.
Ms Jiang eventually filed the return on February 28, 2018, more than 14 months after the due date, and after being repeatedly contacted by the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate. The return stated that no disclosable donations had been received.
Ms Ashkir, who represented herself at the hearing, said she failed to initially submit the return due to a family breakdown and her father passing away around the time of the election.
She submitted her return to the inspectorate after getting legal advice in March 2018, with no disclosable donations received.
The magistrate put both women on a 12-month good behaviour bond, with no court costs or conviction.
Last month, fellow candidate Helen Simeonidis (also known as Helen Fanakopoulou and Eleni Fanakopoulou) was convicted and fined $1500, plus court costs, over the same charge, after she failed to appear in court.
