Angelo Tsirekas, the former mayor of Canada Bay Council in Sydney, has formally launched a legal challenge in the NSW Supreme Court against findings of corruption by the Independence Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) last year.
In November 2023, the ICAC found that Mr Tsirekas had engaged in “serious corrupt conduct” with planning decisions.
He was found to have accepted overseas flights, trips and accommodation – to the tune of almost $20,000 – from developer I-Prosperity and its agent Joseph Chidiac, as a “reward” for favouring the group’s property interests in the Local Government Area.
In response to these findings, NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig dismissed Mr Tsirekas from Council and he was disqualified from civic office for a period of five years.
Mr Tsirekas claimed the “key adverse findings” had been based on “errors of fact and law.”
According to The Australian, Mr Tsirekas’ legal team have now officially commenced legal proceedings against ICAC in the NSW Supreme Court.
The matter is expected to be discussed in court on March 6 where parties will determine the course of action for the case.
A City of Canada Bay Council spokesman told The Australian it was not aware its former mayor had lodged legal papers against ICAC with the Supreme Court.
Source: The Australian.