In short:
Wyndham City Council is facing mounting pressure to cut ties with MA Services Group and terminate its Truganina private security trial as a national scandal engulfs the company, with major organisations already severing ties.
Council in Firing Line as Former Mayor Demands Action
Calls are mounting on Wyndham City Council to immediately cut ties with MA Services Group and terminate its controversial Truganina private security patrol trial, as a nationwide scandal engulfs the company contracted to deliver the program.
The $372,000, ratepayer-funded trial is under intense media scrutiny after reports alleging the company’s owner, Micky Ahuja, has been accused of sexually harassing, bullying and intimidating vulnerable female employees, recently surfaced.
The accusations include claims that women were offered money in exchange for sexual favours. Mr Ahuja has denied the allegations.
In the fallout, several major organisations have moved swiftly to distance themselves from the company.
According to reports, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hawthorn and Essendon AFL clubs have cut sponsorship ties, while the Victorian Government has suspended MA Services Group from its preferred supplier list.
Despite the growing list of organisations severing ties, Wyndham City Council has so far stopped short of outlining any concrete action, saying only that it is “monitoring the situation closely and will take any steps required under its contractual arrangements.”
Council has not disclosed what those steps might be.
The private security patrols in Truganina have been controversial since their inception, dividing the community for months and drawing criticism from residents concerned about cost, effectiveness and accountability.
The six-month trial began on 10 November and was originally planned to run for 12 months, with delivery contracted to MA Services Group.
Former Wyndham mayor and outspoken critic of the trial Kim McAliney has now called for decisive action, saying the current moment demands leadership rather than silence.
In a statement provided to Wyndham TV, McAliney said:
“We continue to hear Councils promote core values of professionalism, integrity, and accountability.”
“This moment presents an ideal opportunity for the CEO and Councillors to demonstrate those values in action by rectifying a decision that has divided the community for many, many months once and for all.”
“Council should now undertake a full review of the MA Services contract in its entirety immediately—not limited solely to the Truganina patrols—particularly in light of the fact that a growing number of notable organisations are terminating their contracts with this provider.”
The Truganina patrols should never have proceeded in the first place, and Council now has a responsibility to acknowledge community concern and act accordingly!”
The comments place direct pressure on council leadership to respond publicly and substantively, particularly as questions are raised about whether the continuation of the trial aligns with council’s stated values and commitments.
Current Deputy Mayor Preet Singh, who publicly championed the Truganina security trial during his election campaign, issued a brief statement in response to the allegations surrounding MA Services Group. Cr Singh said:
“I have been made aware of the allegations against MA services. Just to clear the record, councillors do not intervene in operational matters of the organisation. The organisation is closely monitoring the situation and I am confident they will take any steps required. There is currently no impact on the Truganina Security Patrols.”
Cr Singh did not provide Wyndham TV with a response when previously asked for comment on the trial amid earlier community concerns.
Wyndham TV makes no allegation of wrongdoing or awareness of the allegations against MA Services Group by Cr Singh, Wyndham City councillors, or anyone employed by or contracted to Wyndham City Council.
However, for many residents, the unfolding scandal has intensified concerns about whether council can credibly continue the trial without undermining public trust.
Some argue that if council is serious about workplace safety, accountability and the protection of women, it must act quickly and decisively to reassess — or terminate — the arrangement.
As pressure continues to build, the absence of clarity around what steps council is actually prepared to take is only intensifying calls for transparency, accountability and an end to a trial that many believe should never have gone ahead.
FOLLOW US
