Zahra lands council role

A former Federal Member for McMillan (now Monash) is one of three administrators appointed by the State Government to run South Gippsland shire.

The council was dismissed by the government in June.

Christian Zahra, held McMillan for the Australian Labor Party from 1998-2004, joins chair Julie Eisenbise and Rick Brown on the panel of administrators.

Minister for Local Government Adam Somyurek said the panel that took effect from last Wednesday would act as the council until the next election in 2021.

Ms Eisenbise, a former mayor of Manningham City Council, was made an interim administrator in June until the full panel was established.

Mr Brown was a member of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology council for 13 years and a director of its commercial company.

He is currently a consultant on policy and strategic advice.

As well as his period in parliament Mr Zahra, who was raised and educated at Traralgon, has worked on a policy and strategy in regional and rural development and has held senior roles with aboriginal health and development services in Morwell and remote West Australia.

Mr Somyurek said the twoyear appointments would enable the administrators to properly embed best practice within South Gippsland council.

The dismissal of the council followed a Commission of Inquiry that found a high level of councillor conflict had impaired the performance of its role, decision-making and reputation within the community.