THE Liberal Party is struggling to field a team of councillors in the Hills Shire Council elections amid smear campaigns and revelations candidates have been accused of embezzlement, a drink-driving offence and even posing as a Penthouse Pet.
First, former mayor Peter Dimbrowsky failed to declare to the party's nomination review committee he had a high range drink-driving offence and was dumped from preselection for failing to disclose it after eight years on council.
He believes a political opponent told the party about the offence and claims he simply forgot to put it on his nomination form.
Then, mayor Greg Burnett failed to declare he had had to pay back $260,000 of $285,000 in funds he is accused of embezzling from a real estate firm.
He has now quit but denies any wrongdoing and the matter is with the police and the ICAC.
Another councillor, Robyn Preston, has not disclosed the fact that she modelled for Penthouse in the early 1980s. Ms Preston refused to comment yesterday on claims she appeared as a Pet in the magazine.
"Those guys are classics, you're not (getting) comment on anything at all," she said. "Whether you ask me whether I was a crook in the Outback or I wore galoshes at Thredbo ... I'm not going to comment on anything."
The party decided yesterday Ms Preston did not have to disclose her previous nude shoot and could proceed to preselection.
Mr Dimbrowsky, who last week resigned from the Liberal Party in disgust at losing preselection, says he was hammered by party officials for keeping the drink-driving matter a secret.
A senior Liberal source confirmed this, adding: "If these guys are up front with us, it doesn't mean you get knocked back, but they just need to be honest."
But the same source said Ms Preston would be OK, even though she had not revealed she had previously modelled nude.
Yet another Liberal councillor, Justin Taunton, has been in trouble at the council for allegedly inappropriately using council cabcharges, according to a council audit, but he is favoured to win preselection to run as mayor of Burwood.
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