Cabin fever

By Nicole Williams
THE Dandenong and District Benevolent Society has angrily denied a Dandenong councillor’s claims that it used council grants to fund holidays for society members.
The society says the claims that its members use a Rosebud holiday home bought by the society for their own use are untrue, and has demanded a public apology from Cr Maria Sampey, who made the claims to council.
It insists the cabin is used to offer disadvantaged people in Dandenong a place to holiday at a cheap rate or for free.
Greater Dandenong Council has confirmed it is looking into the claims and that society members are cooperating with that investigation.
Councillor Maria Sampey – a former secretary of the benevolent society – raised the issue at last week’s council meeting.
She asked why a benevolent society would need a holiday home when the people it cared for couldn’t even afford food.
Cr Sampey said council gave the benevolent society a $33,620.30 grant in the financial year ending June 2010 but this money was used to buy a holiday cabin in Rosebud for $33,000.
“This holiday cabin was bought for $33,000 and council gives the society $33,000 a year,” she said.
“Why would a society that is there to help feed the poor require a holiday house when the people they’re feeding don’t even have the money to go down there?”
Cr Sampey was the secretary of the benevolent society committee in 2008.
She said she had been on the committee for the benevolent society but left because she was frustrated things weren’t ‘done right’.
“If things aren’t done properly and you’re seeing it, and people aren’t being helped – it was frustrating,” she said.
“It is not being dealt with and is kept hush-hush.”
Clearly angered by the claims, president of the Dandenong and District Benevolent Society Margaret Ladner has called for a public apology from Cr Sampley, saying her accusations were wrong.
“I am very angry and I want a public apology,” Ms Ladner said.
“The cabin is to give poor people a holiday and she has tried to make it out we bought it for us.
“Benevolent means benevolent.
“The cabin has a register and everyone who uses that cabin is on the register,” Ms Ladner said.
“You won’t find my name or my family on that register.”
Ms Ladner said Cr Sampey shouldn’t use her position on council to make unfounded accusations.
“She was on the committee at the time, so why is she questioning it two years later?” Ms Ladner asked.
“She can’t just say and do what she likes because she’s a councillor.”
Greater Dandenong community services director Mark Doubleday said council had met with the benevolent society to discuss the concerns.
“The society is fully co-operating with council and is providing information to satisfy the concerns raised last week,” he said.