Crn Volk
10-23-2012, 04:07 AM
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/voterig-investigation-sparks-city-raid-20121023-282pe.html
Vote-rig investigation sparks city raid
Police have raided the city offices of a Melbourne Council candidate, dramatically escalating investigations into suspected vote-rigging ahead of this weekend's election.
Police and local government officers investigating an illegal "vote harvesting" scheme entered the Queen Street offices of Azeezur Rahaman today.
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Mr Rahaman owns the multi-million-dollar Southern Cross Education Institute, which teaches 1000 local and international students childcare, business and aged-care courses and employs 110 people.
The local government watchdog made its move on Mr Rahaman after a painstaking five-week investigation tracking a batch of between 450 and 500 suspect voter applications, discovered by the City of Melbourne and revealed in The Age last month.
The Local Government Investigation and Compliance Inspectorate confirmed Victoria Police executed search warrants on two Melbourne properties today and seized evidence including documentation and communications equipment such as computers and mobile telephones.
The council has removed the suspect voter applications from the certified roll, so they will not affect the outcome of the election. The fraudulent batch of votes included anomalies such as 25 people living in a one-bedroom apartment and another 30 living at an address with no physical building.
As the No. 1 candidate for one of the nine main leadership teams, Mr Rahaman may be elected to council this weekend. Most residents have already lodged their postal votes and voting closes on Friday afternoon.
The latest developments come after a series of issues in the lead-up to the poll, including suggestions of bullying and ballot theft and calls from The Age for candidates to reveal their financial backers in a bid to promote transparency.
If the Inspectorate collected any evidence, it would take weeks to prepare a brief and launch a prosecution for high-level corruption offences under the Local Government Act.
A conviction carries penalties of up to five years' prison or fines up to $84,000, and a ban from holding office as a councillor for seven years.
Mr Rahaman is the leading council candidate on the “Community and Business Leadership” team headed by African-Australian lord mayor aspirant and 2009 Victorian of the Year Berhan Ahmed. The team's deputy lord mayor candidate is city real estate agent Sunny Lu. The team is managed by active Australian Labor Party man and former Hobsons Bay mayor Bill Tehan.
Mr Rahaman came to Melbourne in 2000 from India to study information technology at Swinburne University of Technology. In 2004, he started a small IT training company with money he had saved working nights at a petrol station. Three years later he opened the Southern Cross Education Institute.
Vote-rig investigation sparks city raid
Police have raided the city offices of a Melbourne Council candidate, dramatically escalating investigations into suspected vote-rigging ahead of this weekend's election.
Police and local government officers investigating an illegal "vote harvesting" scheme entered the Queen Street offices of Azeezur Rahaman today.
Advertisement
Mr Rahaman owns the multi-million-dollar Southern Cross Education Institute, which teaches 1000 local and international students childcare, business and aged-care courses and employs 110 people.
The local government watchdog made its move on Mr Rahaman after a painstaking five-week investigation tracking a batch of between 450 and 500 suspect voter applications, discovered by the City of Melbourne and revealed in The Age last month.
The Local Government Investigation and Compliance Inspectorate confirmed Victoria Police executed search warrants on two Melbourne properties today and seized evidence including documentation and communications equipment such as computers and mobile telephones.
The council has removed the suspect voter applications from the certified roll, so they will not affect the outcome of the election. The fraudulent batch of votes included anomalies such as 25 people living in a one-bedroom apartment and another 30 living at an address with no physical building.
As the No. 1 candidate for one of the nine main leadership teams, Mr Rahaman may be elected to council this weekend. Most residents have already lodged their postal votes and voting closes on Friday afternoon.
The latest developments come after a series of issues in the lead-up to the poll, including suggestions of bullying and ballot theft and calls from The Age for candidates to reveal their financial backers in a bid to promote transparency.
If the Inspectorate collected any evidence, it would take weeks to prepare a brief and launch a prosecution for high-level corruption offences under the Local Government Act.
A conviction carries penalties of up to five years' prison or fines up to $84,000, and a ban from holding office as a councillor for seven years.
Mr Rahaman is the leading council candidate on the “Community and Business Leadership” team headed by African-Australian lord mayor aspirant and 2009 Victorian of the Year Berhan Ahmed. The team's deputy lord mayor candidate is city real estate agent Sunny Lu. The team is managed by active Australian Labor Party man and former Hobsons Bay mayor Bill Tehan.
Mr Rahaman came to Melbourne in 2000 from India to study information technology at Swinburne University of Technology. In 2004, he started a small IT training company with money he had saved working nights at a petrol station. Three years later he opened the Southern Cross Education Institute.