Embattled Sydney mayor Khal Asfour will give proof at a NSW parliamentary inquiry that’s investigating allegations of impropriety in opposition to him whereas working on the Canterbury-Bankstown council.
This would be the second time Mr Asfour has been known as to present proof on the inquiry, which is able to start at 9.30am on Monday.
The previous Labor higher home candidate withdrew from working within the March state election final month after The Day by day Telegraph detailed a sequence of bills and claims he made on two abroad work journeys taken in 2015 and 2019, together with a $120 therapeutic massage in Tokyo.
Mr Asfour additionally claimed again prices for designer clothes gadgets and acquired $1500 again from a $2277 Zegna swimsuit purchased in 2021, as a part of a “company apparel” bills coverage for council employees, and $500 for a Bally briefcase in 2015.
The councilor claims kinds have since been submitted to the committee.
A spokesperson for Mr Asfour stated the mayor had been subjected to a “vicious smear marketing campaign”.
“The most recent headlines are the final straw,” they stated.
“The mayor is vehemently denying any wrongdoing and has always adhered to the coverage set by council, a coverage scrutinized by the workplace of native authorities.”
Dealing with the standing committee in December 2022, Mr Asfour stated he confronted the inquiry with “anger”.
“Coming right here at the moment, I am full of combined feelings,” he informed the committee.
“On the core of those feelings is one among anger – anger on the haphazard approach this inquiry was known as and the dearth of transparency and due course of afforded to not solely myself however the council employees which have been known as to look and anger on the besmirching of my good identify and integrity.”
He additionally known as for the sacking of the Native Authorities Minister Wendy Tuckerman, who known as for the inquiry. Mr Asfour accused her of “losing taxpayer funds all for political achieve” and stated the inquiry was primarily based on “unfounded” allegations.
Mr Asfour has confronted a sequence of controversies after former Labor frontbencher turned One Nation candidate Tania Mihailuk used her parliamentary privilege to lift corruption issues, together with his hyperlinks to jailed former Labor minister Eddie Obeid.
“It’s no secret I obtained underneath the pores and skin of this authorities after I stood up for my neighborhood and plenty of different residents of western Sydney through the harsh lockdowns and overzealous policing through the Covid pandemic,” he stated.
“I’ve had a political goal on my again ever since and that is payback.”
In a media launch, the committee chair and Liberal MLC Aileen MacDonald welcomed the second listening to.
“The committee welcomes this chance to satisfy with the mayor once more to additional look at these allegations made in opposition to Canterbury-Bankstown council,” she stated.
