Source : Perth Now news
A bizarre alleged blackmail plot against an independent mayor has been explored at a state corruption hearing.
Matthew Blackmore admitted he did not always plan on honouring agreements made with Strathfield Council colleagues at an Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing on Monday.
But he alleged an attempt to back out of a mayoral power-sharing deal in 2022 sparked a campaign of pressure and surveillance.
At the centre of the hearing is former Labor councillor Sharangan Maheswaran – an employee of fugitive developer Jean Nassif’s Toplace development company.
Authorities are investigating similarities between the alleged pressure and campaigns against Nassif’s political foe in state parliament.
Mr Blackmore initially agreed to hand leadership to a Labor councillor before the 2023 state election.
By the end of 2022, he decided he would stay on for the two-year term.
The decision “agitated” Mr Maheswaran and “upset”, Labor mayor-to-be Karen Pensabene, Mr Blackmore told the inquiry.
The pair sought a series of meetings before Mr Maheswaran turned up the heat, he said.
Mr Blackmore claimed Mr Maheswaran said: “What you’ve got to understand, Matthew… I’ve got a reputation in the party that if I don’t like someone, they don’t get away with crossing me”.
It would take just six weeks to fell Mr Blackmore, he allegedly was told.
Mr Blackmore claimed Ms Pensabene then relayed that Mr Maheswaran was “out of control” and printing 20,000 flyers.
Copies of flyers left on Mr Blackmore’s car contained information about his 2009 guilty plea to fraudulent misappropriation of money and allegations about his council conduct.
Mr Blackmore believed ensuing approaches from Sydney journalists were connected to the alleged pressure campaign.
He accepted some of the alleged actions were not illegal but drew the line at possible surveillance.
He broke down while alleging the “shit sheet” included an item he believed to be the product of close monitoring.
“One of the allegations he put was that I’d used the mayoral vehicle to take my family on a holiday, and he told me the location of my holiday,” Mr Blackmore said.
He also alleged Mr Maheswaran held a transcript of a private conversation and images of the then-mayor in meetings with men connected to Sydney development.
He later texted Ms Pensabene saying he felt sick his children were being watched by undercover people.
“I had surveillance on my house… It changed my perspective about people and safety,” he told the inquiry.
The mayor admitted he also had his wife take a picture of Mr Maheswaran’s car on his street while parked nearby a brothel.
He told counsel assisting Hugo Wilesmith he did reference the photo in later dealings with Mr Maheswaran. He accepted it was an attempt to defend himself.
The commission is investigating whether Ms Maheswaran, and/or Ms Pensabene’s conduct involved dishonest or distrustful practice in breach of public trust.
It is also investigating allegations Liberal-affiliated operatives anticipated receiving prohibited donations from Nassif in exchange for favourable outcomes.
