He may have given away his job as a Wodonga councillor to become a Victorian MP, but Tim Quilty has still defended Casey councillors who were sacked this week, calling the decision a "hatchet job".
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In a speech made in Victorian Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Quilty said that Wodonga Council would not have performed any better if it had been placed under the same close eye of a monitor as Casey.
"Maybe I am wearing my councillor's hat, having myself been in a similar place to the Casey councillors not so long ago," he said.
"This report strikes me as a hatchet job on the councillors, holding up the way this council works - the same way as many or most councils operate - as a reason for the sacking.
"I am sure a similar monitor in place in Wodonga would have delivered a very similar or worse report."
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The report found Casey's councillors failed to transparently manage conflicts of interest and prioritised protecting their reputations ahead of the interests of the council.
The decision to sack the councillors was passed by Victoria's lower and upper houses yesterday.
The Liberal Democrats did not officially oppose the move, but Mr Quilty said he was outraged the decision was pushed through so quickly, accusing the government of having a preordained outcome.
He wanted to see new councillors appointed at October's election, not administrators like those who sat at Wangaratta from 2013.
"Why don't you sack all the councils and rule by decree, minister?" Mr Quilty said.
"Ditching councillors is just an opportunity for government-appointed administrators to push through unpopular decisions with no checks."
