A voting member (lot owner) informed body corporate that the security function/ card swipe on the lift often did not work and tenants were sometimes left walking to end of building to use another or using the stairs. A month went by, nothing was done. The voting member who complained about the issue took matters into his hands and sought the expertise of an external contractor, leaving him $2,450 out of pocket. Whilst it is understandable that body corporate would not wish to reimburse him for this expense, he did battle along though, but was unable to recover funds. The voting members heard this issue, among others, and were going to vote the current chairman/executive member out due to his lack of competency and inability to take appropriate actions to prevent the contracted body corporate manager from, let's say, getting remunerated to do absolutely nothing. The relationship between the body corporate manager and elected chairman of the body corporate committee is highly unprofessional.
Word got round and 7 months later, it was time for voting members to push someone to power who would be able to make the body corporate manager more accountable for his actions. As the odds were not in the current body corporate managers favour, he contacted the lot owner mentioned above (via phone) and said he will reimburse him the $2,450 if he votes in favour of the existing manager. The unit holder foolishly did do this with him receiving his cash and voting for the existing executive member/committee chairperson, with him being re-elected (by 1 vote) and the existing body corporate manager being able to continue to be incompetent, with no executive member/committee chairperson to hold him accountable.
Is this 'buying ones vote' a breach of some sort of body corporate law, commercial law, or other law?
Although technically it was just a reimbursement of expenses, conditions were distinctly mentioned where the voting member would have to vote their way in order to receive the money.
I would appreciate all responses.
Word got round and 7 months later, it was time for voting members to push someone to power who would be able to make the body corporate manager more accountable for his actions. As the odds were not in the current body corporate managers favour, he contacted the lot owner mentioned above (via phone) and said he will reimburse him the $2,450 if he votes in favour of the existing manager. The unit holder foolishly did do this with him receiving his cash and voting for the existing executive member/committee chairperson, with him being re-elected (by 1 vote) and the existing body corporate manager being able to continue to be incompetent, with no executive member/committee chairperson to hold him accountable.
Is this 'buying ones vote' a breach of some sort of body corporate law, commercial law, or other law?
Although technically it was just a reimbursement of expenses, conditions were distinctly mentioned where the voting member would have to vote their way in order to receive the money.
I would appreciate all responses.