by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Yarraman Ward candidate Ian Cook – who is running for the same council that he is sueing – has been given unequivocal support from another aspiring Greater Dandenong councillor.
Peter Brown, a former councillor running in Keysborough Ward, says Cook has been “wronged” and is “entitled to justice”.
Cook – the director of I Cook Foods – is currently sueing the council and two for alleged malicious prosecution and public misfeasance.
Recently, the Supreme Court refused Greater Dandenong’s bid to have Cook’s lawsuit dismissed. The council is appealing the decision.
“The real problem in my view is he is a person who has been wronged and he is entitled to justice,” Brown said.
“Yes, this will be a cost to ratepayers but the guy is entitled to justice – and he hasn’t had it, nor his employees.
“Some of the criticisms against Ian Cook is he’s only running because he’s got a beef against council.
“But Ian’s problems have resonated throughout Victoria. He’s been dudded by a lot of processes and people have understood that.”
Cook is locked in a two-candidate race with Yarraman Ward incumbent Phillip Danh.
He is running on a platform of fighting corruption and reducing council spending and rates.
An ALP member, Danh has said he’s running for the “public interest” not for “business and personal interests”.
His chief issues include community safety, homelessness, cost of living and home aged care services.
Cook’s been fighting the State Government and the council since his business was shut down by health authorities as part of an investigation into a listeria-infected patient’s death at Knox Private Hospital in 2019.
ICF and Cook were charged by the council with 96 food-safety offences that were later withdrawn.
