Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer avoids investigation into his lavish wedding

At a fractious council meeting last night, Mr Mehajer’s political rivals tabled a series of critical proposals, widely seen as an attempt to put pressure on the controversial councillor’s position.
As the meeting progressed, relations became so strained that at one point Mr Mehajer, easily the sharpest dresser in the chamber, standing out in a rich blue suit, appeared to threaten another councillor with legal action.
The events of Mr Mehajer’s extravagant wedding to wife Aysha, which involved helicopters, fast cars, a closed street and arguably fascinated a nation, came under intense scrutiny. Councillor Irene Simms, of the Residents Action Group of Auburn Area, called for a council inquiry into misleading information on pamphlets delivered to residents prior to the August event stating cars “would be towed and removed by police as per DA [development application] approval”.
$220 FINE FOR WEDDING
But there was no DA approved for the closure of the street and, as such, the police were not planning on towing away any cars. Mr Mehajer, who stands as an independent, did subsequently pay a $220 fine but this was only for placing a red carpet on the street.
 “A $220 fine is the only thing council appears to have done for all that happened, for all the inconvenience,” said Ms Simms, eliciting applause from the audience. “We have been a laughing stock because of it.”
Mr Mehajer didn’t contest the details of the pamphlet were inaccurate but he said responsibility for it lied with a subcontractor who issued the leaflet and he had since taken legal action against them due to its contents. Given they had admitted the wrongdoing, he said, investigating him “would be a waste of time, money and resources”.
The argument seemed to work with council voting six to four against further examination of the matrimonial jamboree.
Mr Mehajer also prevailed against his council rivals who were calling on the State Government to ban property developers and real estate agents from standing as local councillors due to a perceived conflict of interest over planning decisions. Mr Mehajer’s family has interests in a number of developments and properties in and around Auburn.
Labor Councillor Graham Campbell stressed the proposal was not directed at one person telling council “nothing’s meant to be personal. It’s not about Auburn, it’s about a system.”
But he continued, “Even people with the best of intentions would have a difficult time deciding how to vote knowing there could be quite a lot of money in it for them. It would be better not to put them in that position.”
Nevertheless, Mr Mehajer took umbrage at the motion saying it was “out of order” and calling on Mr Campbell to withdraw it and apologise.
“If not, he should be expelled from the meeting. If [he didn’t apologise and withdraw the motion] I personally will take this matter further,” he said. “It’s not a threat. If you don’t co-operate you should be expelled.” Mr Mehajer pointed out he was already taking legal action against Mr Campbell.
Liberal councillor Ned Attie also railed against the proposal and said, “I’ve never heard so much discrimination and hypocrisy in my life. Why don’t we ban librarians? Either everyone gets in or no one gets in.”
At one point, Mr Attie became so frustrated by what he saw was other councillors skirting around accusations of corruption, he exclaimed “Why can’t someone grow some balls and get up and say what they want?”
While Mr Mehajer’s opponents had a win in getting the council to issue a formal thank you to the State Government for tightening up rules on the voting rights of councillors who are also developers, they failed to force through a request to the Minster for Local Government to investigate planning decisions made by Auburn councillors that may have led to a financial benefit to themselves.
A representative from the Office of Local Government was present at the meeting to observe how the Australian council most under the spotlight conducted its meetings.
Council also voted to give the green light to a proposed development in which Mr Mehajer excused himself from the chamber due to a financial interest. Previously earmarked as residential only, the project was given the green light to add shops on the ground floor potentially bumping up its value.
‘NOTHING STICKS’
Ms Simms has previously told news.com.au Mr Mehajer had escaped censure over his actions, “He’s Mr Teflon, nothing sticks; he just thinks anything that goes wrong is never his doing”.
Last week, Mr Mehajer told news.com.au Labor councillor Hicham Zraika had been treated badly by the ALP. His one-time rival was notified he would be expelled by Labor for failing to vote for his own party’s candidate, Mr Campbell, in a ballot to decide the deputy mayoral position. Mr Zraika’s no-show indirectly led to Mr Mehajer retaining his position.
“I find it appalling that in our day and age, we are not allowed to express ourselves freely,” Mr Mehajer said of his fellow councillor’s expulsion, who remains in the ALP while he appeals the decision.
Ms Simms said that if Mr Zraika had stayed in the chamber, George Campbell would have been deputy mayor.
“He threw us under a bus,” she said.