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===Car crash=== |
===Car crash=== |
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Mehajer was involved in a serious car crash on 17 January 2012 when he lost control of his [[612 Scaglietti]] at the crest of The Boulevarde in [[Lidcombe, New South Wales|Lidcombe]] and ran over two women before colliding with a wall. The two women were rushed to Westmead hospital where they underwent surgery for serious leg and pelvic injuries before being released after spending a month in recovery.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/women-injured-in-ferrari-crash/story-e6frfkp9-1226246945877|title=Salim Mehajer says women's lives are more important than his Ferrari|date=January 18, 2012|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|first=Clementine|last=Cuneo}}</ref><ref name="negligentdriving_initial_conviction_smh">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/deputy-mayor-who-crashed-ferrari-sentenced-to-community-service-20121023-282xp.html|title=Deputy mayor who crashed Ferrari sentenced to community service|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=October 23, 2012|first=Paul|last=Bibby}}</ref><ref name="lidcombe_crash_theaustralian">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/brakes-put-on-spinning-ferrari-driver/story-e6frg6n6-1226501651818|title=Brakes put on spinning Ferrari driver|publisher=[[The Australian]]|date=October 23, 2012|first=Amy|last=Dale}}</ref> He was convicted of negligent driving at Burwood Local Court where he had his license disqualified and was [[Sentence (law)|sentenced]] to 150 hours of [[community service]] by magistrate Brian Maloney on 23 October 2012. The magistrate noted that Mehajer's statement to police differed from his testimony in court but that Mehajer had not been speeding or driving in a reckless manner. The magistrate found that Mehajer's inability to control such a powerful car caused him to "[make] bad choices and it ended in catastrophe", and <ref name="negligentdriving_initial_conviction_smh" /><ref name="lidcombe_crash_theaustralian" /> Mehajer appealed and in September 2013 the conviction was overturned.<ref name="negligentdriving_conviction_overturned">{{cite news|url=http://localnewsplus.com.au/story?ID=90532&stories=stories&publication=Review§ion=news|title=Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer has had negligent driving charges against him dismissed on appeal|publisher=Auburn Review|date=September 9, 2013}}</ref> After his acquital, Mehajer took out an advertisement in the local newspaper ''The Auburn Review'' headed "VICTORY over negligent driving" and which declared that "Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it. It's every man's business to see justice done."<ref name="advertisement_theauburnreview">{{cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322173318/http://auburnreview.com.au/Read/Auburn_Review_16_October_2013/images1/010.jpg|title=VICTORY over negligent driving|newspaper=The Auburn Review|type=Advertisement|date=October 15, 2013|page=10}}</ref><ref name="reddit_link">{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/3h7d1n/salim_mehajers_victory_over_negligent_driving/ |title=Salim Mehajer's VICTORY over negligent driving (backstory in comments) |authors=Reddit user: flippantflapper |date=August 16, 2015 |access-date=2016-05-12 |website=reddit.com |publisher=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> The two women, Nhu Hua and Tuyet La, |
Mehajer was involved in a serious car crash on 17 January 2012 when he lost control of his [[612 Scaglietti]] at the crest of The Boulevarde in [[Lidcombe, New South Wales|Lidcombe]] and ran over two women before colliding with a wall. The two women were rushed to Westmead hospital where they underwent surgery for serious leg and pelvic injuries before being released after spending a month in recovery.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/women-injured-in-ferrari-crash/story-e6frfkp9-1226246945877|title=Salim Mehajer says women's lives are more important than his Ferrari|date=January 18, 2012|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|first=Clementine|last=Cuneo}}</ref><ref name="negligentdriving_initial_conviction_smh">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/deputy-mayor-who-crashed-ferrari-sentenced-to-community-service-20121023-282xp.html|title=Deputy mayor who crashed Ferrari sentenced to community service|publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=October 23, 2012|first=Paul|last=Bibby}}</ref><ref name="lidcombe_crash_theaustralian">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/brakes-put-on-spinning-ferrari-driver/story-e6frg6n6-1226501651818|title=Brakes put on spinning Ferrari driver|publisher=[[The Australian]]|date=October 23, 2012|first=Amy|last=Dale}}</ref> He was convicted of negligent driving at Burwood Local Court where he had his license disqualified and was [[Sentence (law)|sentenced]] to 150 hours of [[community service]] by magistrate Brian Maloney on 23 October 2012. The magistrate noted that Mehajer's statement to police differed from his testimony in court but that Mehajer had not been speeding or driving in a reckless manner. The magistrate found that Mehajer's inability to control such a powerful car caused him to "[make] bad choices and it ended in catastrophe", and <ref name="negligentdriving_initial_conviction_smh" /><ref name="lidcombe_crash_theaustralian" /> Mehajer appealed and in September 2013 the conviction was overturned.<ref name="negligentdriving_conviction_overturned">{{cite news|url=http://localnewsplus.com.au/story?ID=90532&stories=stories&publication=Review§ion=news|title=Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer has had negligent driving charges against him dismissed on appeal|publisher=Auburn Review|date=September 9, 2013}}</ref> After his acquital, Mehajer took out an advertisement in the local newspaper ''The Auburn Review'' headed "VICTORY over negligent driving" and which declared that "Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it. It's every man's business to see justice done."<ref name="advertisement_theauburnreview">{{cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322173318/http://auburnreview.com.au/Read/Auburn_Review_16_October_2013/images1/010.jpg|title=VICTORY over negligent driving|newspaper=The Auburn Review|type=Advertisement|date=October 15, 2013|page=10}}</ref><ref name="reddit_link">{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/3h7d1n/salim_mehajers_victory_over_negligent_driving/ |title=Salim Mehajer's VICTORY over negligent driving (backstory in comments) |authors=Reddit user: flippantflapper |date=August 16, 2015 |access-date=2016-05-12 |website=reddit.com |publisher=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> The two women, Nhu Hua and Tuyet La, [[Lawsuit|sued]] him in 2014, and Mehajer's [[insurance|insurers]], [[NRMA]], reached a [[Settlement (litigation)|settlement]] with them in early October 2015, agreeing to pay [[AUD]]$1.72 million<ref name="settlement_injury_smh">{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/women-hit-by-salim-mehajers-ferrari-settle-case-for-172-million-20151106-gkt3n7.html|title=Women hit by Salim Mehajer's Ferrari settle case for $1.72 million|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2016-05-11}}</ref><ref name="settlement-injury-dailymail">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3306878/Deputy-mayor-Salim-Mehajer-pay-1-72-million-compensation-Ferrari-crashed-two-women.html|title=Two women injured when controversial deputy mayor Salim Mehajer crashed his Ferrari settle their claim for $1.72 million|publisher=[[The Daily Mail]]|first=Rachel|last=Eddie|date=November 7, 2015}}</ref> |
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===Wedding=== |
===Wedding=== |
Revision as of 02:26, 12 May 2016
Salim Mehajer | |
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Born | 12 June 1986 |
Nationality | Australian |
Education | Bachelor of Housing |
Alma mater | Western Sydney University |
Occupation(s) | Property developer, politician |
Years active | 2012–present |
Employer | Self employed |
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.
Biography
Early life and education
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]
Political career
Mehajer ran as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly for Auburn at the 2011 New South Wales State election. He was subsequently investigated by the Australian Election Funding Authority for failing to declare electoral spending and political donations but, as he was not elected, no action was taken against him.[3] In 2012 he stood as an independent candidate for the City of Auburn and was elected, and subsequently elected as deputy mayor.[1] In 2014 the Division of Local Government conducted 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]
Car crash
Mehajer was involved in a serious car crash on 17 January 2012 when he lost control of his 612 Scaglietti at the crest of The Boulevarde in Lidcombe and ran over two women before colliding with a wall. The two women were rushed to Westmead hospital where they underwent surgery for serious leg and pelvic injuries before being released after spending a month in recovery.[5][6][7] He was convicted of negligent driving at Burwood Local Court where he had his license disqualified and was sentenced to 150 hours of community service by magistrate Brian Maloney on 23 October 2012. The magistrate noted that Mehajer's statement to police differed from his testimony in court but that Mehajer had not been speeding or driving in a reckless manner. The magistrate found that Mehajer's inability to control such a powerful car caused him to "[make] bad choices and it ended in catastrophe", and [6][7] Mehajer appealed and in September 2013 the conviction was overturned.[8] After his acquital, Mehajer took out an advertisement in the local newspaper The Auburn Review headed "VICTORY over negligent driving" and which declared that "Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it. It's every man's business to see justice done."[9][10] The two women, Nhu Hua and Tuyet La, sued him in 2014, and Mehajer's insurers, NRMA, reached a settlement with them in early October 2015, agreeing to pay AUD$1.72 million[11][12]
Wedding
In 2015, Mehajer came to public prominence in Australia and overseas after his marriage to his fiance Aysha (formerly April Amelia Learmonth[13]) 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[14][15][16]. He was later fined $220 for the unauthorized shutdown of Frances Street in Lidcombe and for distributing a fake flyer warning residents that their cars would be towed if they were not cleared from the street.[17] A petition on Change.org calling for Mehajer's sacking from Auburn City Council over his wedding and other alleged wrong-doings was created in August 2015 and attracted over 4,000 signatures.[18]
Intimidation charges and acquittal
Mehajer was accused of threatening personal trainer Bruce Herat in October 2015 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.[19][20] 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.[21]
Nine News interview
In October 2015, Mehajer appeared on Nine News with his wife, and from a lectern gave an interview with a 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.[22][23] Reaction to the interview ranged from it being called a "bizarre stage-managed spectacle" by The Huffington Post,[24] 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.[25]
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.
- ^ Cuneo, Clementine (January 18, 2012). "Salim Mehajer says women's lives are more important than his Ferrari". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ a b Bibby, Paul (October 23, 2012). "Deputy mayor who crashed Ferrari sentenced to community service". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ a b Dale, Amy (October 23, 2012). "Brakes put on spinning Ferrari driver". The Australian.
- ^ "Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer has had negligent driving charges against him dismissed on appeal". Auburn Review. September 9, 2013.
- ^ "VICTORY over negligent driving". The Auburn Review (Advertisement). October 15, 2013. p. 10.
- ^ "Salim Mehajer's VICTORY over negligent driving (backstory in comments)". reddit.com. Reddit. August 16, 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses deprecated parameter|authors=
(help) - ^ "Women hit by Salim Mehajer's Ferrari settle case for $1.72 million". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
- ^ Eddie, Rachel (November 7, 2015). "Two women injured when controversial deputy mayor Salim Mehajer crashed his Ferrari settle their claim for $1.72 million". The Daily Mail.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Calls for Auburn deputy mayor's sacking after lavish wedding". ABC News. 2015-08-18. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
- ^ "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