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{{Infobox person |
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| name = Salim Mehajer |
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| image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] --> |
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| image_size = |
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| alt = |
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| caption = |
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|6|12|df=y}} |
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| birth_place = |
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| residence = [[Lidcombe, New South Wales]] |
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| nationality = Australian |
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| ethnicity = Lebanese |
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| education = Bachelor of Housing |
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| alma_mater = [[Western Sydney University]] |
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| occupation = Property developer |
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| years_active = 2012–present |
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| employer = Self employed |
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| known_for = Lavish wedding |
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| title = Deputy Mayor<br/>[[Auburn City Council]] |
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| term = 2012–2016 |
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| predecessor = Hicham Zraika |
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| successor = |
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| party = Independent |
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| religion = Islam |
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| spouse = Aysha Learmonth |
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| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> |
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}} |
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'''Salim Mehajer''' (born 12 June 1986,<ref name="australian-bioinfo">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/salim-mehajer-its-good-to-be-the-deputy-mayor/news-story/5d477b8fd9b200a46f386a9453541333|title=Salim Mehajer: it’s good to be the deputy mayor|publisher=[[The Australian]]|first1=Anthony|last1=Klan|first2=Greg|last2=Bearup|date=December 12, 2015}}</ref> also known as Selim) is a [[property developer]] and former deputy mayor of the now suspended [[Auburn City Council]],<ref name="suspended_council">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160312032609/http://www.auburn.nsw.gov.au/Govern1/Councillors/Pages/Councillors.aspx|title=Auburn City Council Councillors|website=www.auburn.nsw.gov.au|accessdate=2016-05-10}}</ref> which is situated in the [[Greater Western Sydney]] region of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. Mehajer was born in Sydney as the third-eldest of eight children to [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Immigration to Australia|immigrants]] Amal and Mohammed Mehajer.<ref name="australian-bioinfo"/> He grew up in the [[Auburn, New South Wales|Auburn]] area and was educated at the local [[primary school]] before attending [[Trinity Catholic College, Auburn]] for the majority of his [[high school]] years. Mehajer finished his final years at [[Arthur Phillip High School]] in [[Parramatta]] and subsequently studied at [[Western Sydney University|WSU]], graduating with a Bachelor of Housing degree.<ref name="australian-bioinfo"/> |
'''Salim Mehajer''' (born 12 June 1986,<ref name="australian-bioinfo">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/salim-mehajer-its-good-to-be-the-deputy-mayor/news-story/5d477b8fd9b200a46f386a9453541333|title=Salim Mehajer: it’s good to be the deputy mayor|publisher=[[The Australian]]|first1=Anthony|last1=Klan|first2=Greg|last2=Bearup|date=December 12, 2015}}</ref> also known as Selim) is a [[property developer]] and former deputy mayor of the now suspended [[Auburn City Council]],<ref name="suspended_council">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160312032609/http://www.auburn.nsw.gov.au/Govern1/Councillors/Pages/Councillors.aspx|title=Auburn City Council Councillors|website=www.auburn.nsw.gov.au|accessdate=2016-05-10}}</ref> which is situated in the [[Greater Western Sydney]] region of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. Mehajer was born in Sydney as the third-eldest of eight children to [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Immigration to Australia|immigrants]] Amal and Mohammed Mehajer.<ref name="australian-bioinfo"/> He grew up in the [[Auburn, New South Wales|Auburn]] area and was educated at the local [[primary school]] before attending [[Trinity Catholic College, Auburn]] for the majority of his [[high school]] years. Mehajer finished his final years at [[Arthur Phillip High School]] in [[Parramatta]] and subsequently studied at [[Western Sydney University|WSU]], graduating with a Bachelor of Housing degree.<ref name="australian-bioinfo"/> |
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Revision as of 13:07, 10 May 2016
Salim Mehajer | |
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Born | 12 June 1986 |
Nationality | Australian |
Education | Bachelor of Housing |
Alma mater | Western Sydney University |
Occupation | Property developer |
Years active | 2012–present |
Employer | Self employed |
Known for | Lavish wedding |
Title | Deputy Mayor Auburn City Council |
Term | 2012–2016 |
Predecessor | Hicham Zraika |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse | Aysha Learmonth |
Salim Mehajer (born 12 June 1986,[1] also known as Selim) is a property developer and former deputy mayor of the now suspended Auburn City Council,[2] which is situated in the Greater Western Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia. Mehajer was born in Sydney as the third-eldest of eight children to Lebanese immigrants Amal and Mohammed Mehajer.[1] He grew up in the Auburn area and was educated at the local primary school before attending Trinity Catholic College, Auburn for the majority of his high school years. Mehajer finished his final years at Arthur Phillip High School in Parramatta and subsequently studied at WSU, graduating with a Bachelor of Housing degree.[1]
Mehajer ran as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Auburn during the 2011 New South Wales State election and was investigated by the Australian Election Funding Authority for failing to declare electoral spending and political donations, but as he did not gain power no action was taken against him.[3] In 2012 he later ran as a local independent candidate for the City of Auburn and was elected as deputy mayor.[1] However, in 2014 the Division of Local Government ran an investigation into Mehajer's pecuniary interests and suspended him from civic office for a month for failing to disclose his business and property interests.[4]
In 2015, Mehajer came to public prominence in Australia and overseas after his marriage to his fiance Aysha (formerly April Amelia Learmonth[5]) was widely publicised in the media. The media focussed on Mehajer's manner of arrival, which involved flying in one of four helicopters then proceeding to the wedding in a fleet of luxury sports cars, and for his wedding video which was widely shown on media sites in Australia[6][7][8]. He was later fined $220 for the unauthorized shutdown of Frances St in Lidcombe and for distributing a fake flyer warning residents that their cars would be towed if they were not cleared from the street.[9]
Mehajer was accused of threatening personal trainer Bruce Herat after a disagreement at a gymnasium. Mehajer was subsequently charged with intimidation by police and had an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) taken out against him. The AVO prohibited Mehajer from entering Herat's workplace, Anytime Fitness Gym in Burwood.[10][11] The charges were dismissed by the magistrate Alexander Mijovich because the security camera had been broken in the car park, and he had no way of knowing for certain that Mehajer had threatened Herat. The magistrate did, however, increase the AVO that prevented Mehajer from approaching Herat by a further 12 months.[12]
In October 2015, Mehajer appeared on Nine News with his wife, and from a lectern gave an interview with a Channel Nine reporter. In the interview, he said "I would like to start off by being in state, federal and I'd like to make my way up to the very top spot. That would [be] my dream come true" and denied claims that he was part of a group of six councillors who were accused of banding together to push through development applications.[13][14] Reaction to the interview ranged from it being called a "bizarre stage-managed spectacle" by The Huffington Post,[15] to criticism from radio host Ray Hadley in an interview with the Today's host Karl Stefanovic, who burst into hysterical laughter after viewing the interview for the first time.[16]
References
- ^ a b c d Klan, Anthony; Bearup, Greg (December 12, 2015). "Salim Mehajer: it's good to be the deputy mayor". The Australian.
- ^ "Auburn City Council Councillors". www.auburn.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
- ^ Murphy, Damien (August 16, 2015). "Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer wedding was delayed until father's release from jail". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Mckenny, Leesha (June 22, 2014). "Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer faces suspension over business interests". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Sharp, Annette; Domjen, Briana (August 20, 2015). "Aysha Mehajer: From Wollongong girl to a Muslim glamour". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ Pobjie, Ben (August 17, 2015). "The Story of Salim and Aysha: Auburn deputy mayor's pre-wedding video reviewed". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Auburn deputy mayor wedding: Salim Mehajer says he wants to be the 'next superstar'". The Daily Telegraph. August 17, 2015.
- ^ "Lavish wedding of Sydney councillor who closed street without permission – video". The Guardian. August 20, 2015.
- ^ "Sydney deputy mayor who shut down streets for wedding fined $220". The Guardian. August 19, 2015.
- ^ "Salim Mehajer: Controversial Auburn deputy mayor allegedly says 'don't you know who I am?' before threatening to kidnap man's children". ABC News. October 16, 2015.
- ^ "Mehajer appears in court over AVO". The Sydney Morning Herald. October 15, 2015.
- ^ Ralston, Nick (March 24, 2016). "Salim Mehajer cleared of threatening Bruce Herat during heated argument". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Meddows, David (October 6, 2015). "Salim Mahajer interview: Auburn Deputy Mayor says he wants to be prime minister of Australia". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ Aubusson, Kate (October 6, 2015). "Salim Mehajer's bizarre performance in first television interview on Nine News". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Blackwell, Eoin (October 6, 2015). "Salim Mehajer's "Bizarre" Interview". The Huffington Post.
- ^ Vincent, Peter (October 6, 2015), Karl Stefanovic's hilarious reaction at Salim Mejaher's ambitions is gold, The Sydney Morning Herald