•The investigation identified 10 candidates across two loosely aligned groups as being dummy candidates due to unusual preference arrangements, dubious residential entitlements, no active campaigning or attending no information sessions or training. None of the 10 candidates were elected.
•The inspectorate believes one group, which contained a number of dummy candidates, worked together solely to secure the election of a principal candidate, dubbed “candidate A”. These candidates were connected to candidate A through employer/employee relationships or the use of addresses owned by candidate A for proof of residence. Although several of these people did not appear to be genuine candidates, the running of dummy candidates is not illegal.
•The investigation questioned the genuineness of Wyndham addresses listed by two candidates, who also formed part of the first group. In each case, the candidates updated their residential address only days before the required deadline, and also maintained other residential properties that were “a significant distance from the municipality”. Despite strong circumstantial cases, the inspectorate did not have enough evidence to lay criminal charges for false nominations.
•The second candidate group remains under active investigation with “a strong likelihood of serious charges” for the principal candidate of this group.
•Two candidates were unaware they had been nominated, with the circumstances of their nominations currently under investigation.
•Two candidates had been deceived into nominating on the premise of a benefit. This matter is still being investigated to determine if a case for prosecution exists.
•Five of the 95 candidates were not interviewed during the investigation. Three exercised their rights not to be interviewed, one was travelling at the time of the investigation but provided information, and the remaining candidate remains a person of interest and is subject to further investigation.
•Forty-two per cent of candidates did not understand what the role of a councillor entailed.
•The inspectorate received 21 formal complaints relating to the 2016 Wyndham council election – the highest related to any Victorian council election.
in a criminal investigation to
… Charlene Macaulay
