SOUTH Gippsland Shire councillor Andrew McEwen has been charged by the Local Government Inspectorate and will have to face court.
Cr McEwen was charged with one charge of misuse of position, and has been summonsed to appear in Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on July 4.
The inspectorate will allege Cr McEwen provided a Tarwin Lower resident with information in January 2018.
At the time the resident was involved in a proceeding against the council in the Supreme Court.
Under section 76D (1) of the Local Government Act 1989 it is an offence for a person holding the position of councillor to misuse their position by making improper use of information to gain or attempt to gain, directly or indirectly, an advantage for another person.
The penalty for the offence is 600 penalty units or imprisonment for five years or both.
As at the date of the offence, the value of a penalty unit was $158.57, making the maximum penalty available $95,142.
The Local Government Inspectorate said it was unable to comment as the matter was now before the courts.
Foster.vic.au feed