Cameron Nation: Anti-corruption watchdog finds former Moonee Valley City Council mayor traded influence for cocaine

A Melbourne council mayor has been busted offering to “sort out” a friend’s local parking complaint in return for cocaine.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has been secretly investigating allegations of bribery and misconduct by councillors at Moonee Valley City Council in the city’s northwest.

In a 32-page special report tabled in Victorian parliament on Wednesday, the corruption watchdog found several councillors misused their positions to influence council decisions, bypass processes and inappropriately disclose information.

Former Moonee Valley City Council mayor Cameron Nation was among those cited after IBAC heard evidence that he repeatedly received cocaine in exchange for his assistance.

In March 2021, an associate messaged Mr Nation to request he “sort out” a parking issue outside of a business owned by a construction manager’s relatives.

The then-mayor replied four days later: “(my partner) wants a little bit of cheek (cocaine) ... I’ll sort out (street address of the business) for it.”

Evidence showed Mr Nation’s partner retrieved cocaine the same day from the house of the construction manager, who struck up a friendship with the councillor in 2020 and regularly supplied him and his partner with cocaine and Xanax.

The parking signs were updated, but the council argued it was unrelated to the mayor’s intervention.

Initially, Mr Nation denied he helped the construction manager in return for the drugs but when shown the texts, he accepted the messages demonstrated “a clear offer of assistance in exchange for cocaine”.

He was also questioned for intervening in a planning application for a townhouse development, submitted by the construction manager, in exchange for more cocaine.

“Can u (sic) check where it is at please ... I will fix u up ... 7 (grams) of the best,” the construction manager messaged in June 2021.

IBAC said the matters showed Mr Nation’s “clear awareness of his conduct and willingness to misuse his position to bypass proper council processes”.

Mr Nation’s time as mayor ended in October 2021 and he suddenly resigned from the council within minutes of the March 26, 2024 meeting starting, declaring “ciao, I’m out”.

IBAC’s Operation Leo probe was secretly launched in May 2023 to investigate allegations of a bribery scheme centred on the Essendon Royals Soccer Club.

The watchdog heard possible bribes ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 - to be split among Mr Nation and two councillors - were discussed as an incentive to vote favourably for council decisions related to the club.

IBAC did not name the other two councillors engulfed in the alleged scheme and found no evidence they received payments from the soccer club’s president or his associates.

But Mr Nation, current deputy mayor Narelle Sharpe and serving councillor Jacob Bettio were ultimately found to have used their positions to influence council decisions in favour of the club at the expense of other local sports groups and the wider community.

“IBAC found that several MVCC councillors received other inducements, including dinners paid for by the ERSC, free memberships to the ERSC and an invitation to an event,” it said.

IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott said councillors misusing their positions for personal advantage came with significant risks.

“When councillors misuse their positions as elected officials, they undermine a council’s effectiveness and erode the community’s trust in their local government,” she said.