By Benjamin Millar
Maribyrnong council is one of the most complained about councils in Victoria, attracting more than one complaint to the Victorian Ombudsman’s Office for every 1000 residents.
The Victorian Ombudsman’s Office annual report, released last week, shows the office received 85 complaints about Maribyrnong council in the 12 months to July.
Although down from the 113 complaints lodged in the prior year, the figure made Maribyrnong the most complained about council in Melbourne’s west and number 10 on the statewide list.
The rate of recorded complaints per resident in Maribyrnong was also higher than most of the top 10 areas, including Moreland which was the most complained about council area in the state with 151 complaints recorded.
There were 28 complaints against Hobsons Bay in the same period, down from 41.
The figures do not include complaints directly made to councils.
Maribyrnong council was the subject of a critical report by Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass that found its internal review practices for parking fines were too harsh.
The investigation looked at five case studies, most of them elderly, who had received an infringement for failing to display a disabled parking permit when parked in a disabled parking space.
The Ombudsman noted that all of them had valid disability parking permits, however they made “a simple mistake” in failing to display the permit properly in their vehicle.
The investigation found Maribyrnong council was unjust in refusing to cancel parking fines in cases where “exceptional circumstances” justified cancellation.
“The internal reviews appeared to have focused on whether an offence was committed, which was not in dispute, while failing to consider the exceptional circumstances raised by the applicant,” the Ombudsman found.
“We found the council’s practices were lacking in fairness and discretion.”
Maribyrnong council accepted two of the Ombudsman’s three recommendations, updating its guidelines and providing training to staff involved in internal reviews, but refused the third recommendation to pay back the individuals from the case studies.
Maribyrnong council was contacted for comment but did not respond.
