Council removes former mayor's name from plaques after assault of teen

A council in Melbourne's north-west will remove all mention of a disgraced former mayor on plaques across dozens of council assets, after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.A suppression order was lifted last month, and it became public that former Moonee Valley mayor Cameron Nation had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 2019, while he was a councillor.He was sentenced to three months in jail.Moonee Valley council voted at its meeting on Tuesday night to remove Nation's name from council plaques, including at the council's civic centre foyer, the Keilor East Leisure Centre and the Clocktower Centre in Moonee Ponds.A mayoral plaque bearing Cam Nation's name in the foyer of the civic centre will be replaced. (Instagram: mooneevalleycitycouncil)Nation served as a councillor for 11 years, and a report submitted to the meeting showed Nation is named on 41 plaques across the municipality, from bowls clubs to early learning centres, men's sheds and community hubs.Council officers said in a report to the council there was no protocol to remove the name of a mayor or councillor, but recommended councillors do so because of the council's commitment that all children and young people have the right to feel safe."The display of the name of a convicted abuser who, at the time, was a community leader does not align with those commitments," officers wrote."It might also be a trigger for victim survivors of child abuse, causing psychological harm."Councillors voted unanimously to remove his name entirely from council assets, including taking down his photo from the foyer of the civic centre in Moonee Ponds.Plaques naming Nation had been removed from some locations pending the council vote. (Instagram: mooneevalleycitycouncil)Councillor Rose Iser, who moved the motion, told the council it was a difficult topic and said her thoughts were with the victim."It is a serious step — to remove the name of a former councillor and mayor from more than 40 plaques in Moonee Valley," she said."It is a declaration that the safety of our children trumps any person in power."It says that we won't protect those who abuse their power and harm children."She referred to Nation's "dark history" — in 2024, an IBAC report found Nation repeatedly accepted drugs in exchange for progressing planning applications. In 2022, the ABC reported he was handed a two-year bond, with no conviction, for making false statements to a community sports grants program. Councillors voted to remove Nation's name to maintain public confidence in the council. (Instagram: mooneevalleycitycouncil)Councillor Ava Adams said the move would show the community that the council recognised the gravity of the harm associated with child sexual abuse."Seeing the name or image of a person convicted of such an offence displayed in a prominent civic setting may cause distress or undermine confidence in our commitment to child safety," she said.Councillor Hamish Jones said the issue left him angry and sad."This is certainly the most egregious breach of trust of all the many things that have occurred in the past," he said.Councillor Fran Cosgriff told the meeting that Nation was a prominent member of the community, not only as a councillor, but also at his local swim school, where she said she was one of many Moonee Valley children who took swimming lessons."This is obviously a really horrific situation to find out about," she said."His actions have no place in our community, let alone in our society."The ABC attempted to contact Nation.