Dodgy deal for deputy mayor?

March 4, 2016
Issue 
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle.

Melbourne's Liberal Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has been offered a campaign donation, rumoured to be about $200,000, by a councillor in return for them running as deputy lord mayor in the October election.

Ken Ong, the council's chair of planning, said: "The offer is not $200,000 specifically. It might be less or it might be even more if the campaign demands."

When questioned whether the donation is conditional on being Doyle's deputy, Ong said: "Well, if I'm not the deputy lord mayor, I don't need to contribute."

Monash University governance expert Ken Coghill said: "This looks very much like an attempt to buy political power and power should rest equally with all citizens rather than people with money.”

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