Tasmanian councillor's property developer connection probed in integrity report

 A former Derwent Valley councillor received $5,000 from a property developer before an election, performed paid work for them while on council, "agitated" for their interests, and pressured council staff on their behalf, a report has found.

An integrity commission investigation found Paul Belcher did not disclose the conflict of interest, but current laws mean he was not required to disclose gifts or donations because he was not on council at the time of receiving them.

The $5,000 "gift" from the property developer Roostam Sadri was used, in part, for his re-election campaign, according to the report. When he received it, he had already declared his intention to run for council.

Read More: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-29/former-tasmanian-councillor-received-5k-before-election-report/101484182



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