Former mayor and Cr Saab – City of Kingston (right)
The Druze, who call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn, are an Arab and Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith.
Most Druze religious practices are kept secret. The Druze do not permit outsiders to convert to their religion. Marriage outside the Druze faith is rare and strongly discouraged. The Druze maintain Arabic language and culture as integral parts of their identity, and Arabic is their primary language.
A last-minute decision to hand $75,000 in ratepayers’ money to a religious organisation directly linked to a Kingston councillor has raised integrity concerns from other council members.
The City of Kingston Council has hit back at any suggestion of wrongdoing, arguing late changes to grant funding – which saw the organisation given money against recommendations – were within the rules.
Meeting agenda documents show the organisation sought a $25,000 grant for one year. But the panel knocked it back because the application, while “strong”, did not align with grant guidelines as it was not an already established festival.
“In addition, the Assessment Panel considered the strong financial position of this organisation relative to other applicant organisations,” the public council agenda says.
Matter has now been referred to Local Government Inspectorate and IBAC by Council watch Inc and members of community.
A spokeswoman for the Local Government Inspectorate said investigations were treated with the strictest confidence and that it was “unable to share any details of an investigation, ongoing or otherwise, with the media”.
Saab is a volunteer executive committee member of Druze Community Charity of Victoria, which is based outside Kingston in nearby Keysborough. The Druze are a religious group who primarily reside in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
The organisation is not a registered charity but an incorporated association of 600 members, according to Consumer Affairs Victoria records.
Saab said he had recused himself from any involvement in the grant process. “I can assure the community that I was very upfront about my connection with the Druze Community Charity of Victoria, and therefore did not take part at any stage of the application process,” he told The Age.
“When I was aware the religious community organisation was making a submission I let the mayor, our governance team, the CEO and the general manager know that I will be declaring a conflict of interest when this eventually comes back to council.”
Saab said that while the organisation was based just outside of Kingston’s borders, “it provides support and a real sense of connection for many in Kingston where a majority of the members live or own/run businesses”.
JANE AGIRTAN INDEPENDENT 
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