Maroondah Council candidate faces court

A former election candidate received a six-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to nominating as a candidate while ineligible in a hearing on Wednesday 7 September at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court.

Steven Andrew Marks will serve the bond without conviction and pay a $300 penalty and $700 towards the prosecution's costs.

Mr Marks nominated as a candidate for McAlpin Ward in Maroondah Council in the 2020 general election.

The Victorian Electoral Commission referred information relating to Mr Marks’ eligibility to the Inspectorate, who confirmed that Mr Marks had prior convictions that would render him ineligible to be a candidate under sections 256 and 286 of the Local Government Act 2020.

Mr Marks was advised on 24 September that he was not entitled to nominate as a candidate due to a disqualifying conviction recorded against him in the last eight years. He was retired from the election prior to voting day.

Mr Marks was invited but declined to be interviewed in relation to the breach of the Act.

The maximum penalty for an offence against section 286 is 240 penalty units (at the time of the offence, a penalty unit was valued at $165.22) or two years imprisonment.