The husband of a Melton councillor has been charged with intervention order breaches and the municipality’s mayor is calling for immediate action against his colleague as tensions reach boiling point.
Melton Mayor Steve Abboushi accused Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg of spreading misinformation and making unsubstantiated claims of bullying, harassment and vilification.
Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg and her husband, Simon Vallone.Credit: Facebook
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Abboushi said he had referred the situation to Local Government Minister Nick Staikos and the Local Government Inspectorate for immediate action.
“Her [Vandenberg] allegations that councillors are facing criminal charges are entirely false and intended to discredit councillors and mislead the community,” he said.
He also referenced an $800,000 compensation claim filed by her husband, former council candidate Simon Vallone, alleging Melton Council had breached his human rights.
“He has also failed to provide any evidence of such breaches at this stage, and council intends to defend the proceeding if it goes ahead,” Abboushi said.
Thursday’s events are the culmination of months of instability at Melton Council. Vandenberg and Vallone frequently claim on social media that they are under attack by the council and Victorian Labor. Vandenberg and Vallone have also made vast, unsubstantiated allegations about councillors, including gendered and racist abuse, the theft of public funds and branch stacking.
Vallone, who regularly accuses Victorian Labor of being run by dictators, posted last week that Melton Council was “about to learn why I am a feared political player”.
Vallone was arrested on Thursday and charged with breaches of intervention orders. He was bailed to appear at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on December 12, according to Victoria Police.
