Former Moonee Valley councillor Cameron Nation jailed for sexually assaulting teenager

Former Moonee Valley councillor Cameron Nation has been jailed for three months for sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 2019. Nation, who served for 11 years as a councillor before quitting in 2024, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court to the charges.

A suppression order was lifted on Thursday afternoon, allowing media to name Nation as the ex-Moonee Valley councillor at the centre of the case. The court heard Nation had invited the 17-year-old boy, who was drunk, over to his home in December 2019, where he supplied him with "nangs", also known as nitrous oxide.

"The complainant said he felt helpless and overwhelmed," Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said. "He was not enjoying what was happening and he didn't know what to do as he had no control."

Nation then pulled down the boy's pants and performed a sex act on the "vulnerable" and "spaced-out" teen, the magistrate said. Magistrate Mykytowycz sentenced Nation to complete an 18-month community corrections order, forcing him to attend drug, mental health and sex offenders' programs.

Nation's lawyer Sam Norton said, "He would appeal the sentence and would lodge an application for bail next week."

Nation was charged by police in October 2025, and days later, he tried to kill himself and was hospitalised, the court heard. A magistrate then put a suppression order in place to protect his mental health, banning reporting of Nation's name in connections with his case.

On Thursday, Nation's defence lawyer failed in a bid to extend the suppression order for two years, after arguing media stories posed an unacceptable mental health risk to his client. Magistrate Mykytowycz said while Nation's mental health was in a "parlous" state, he was currently well supported by family and had been accessing professional help in the community.

Nation wept in court as the magistrate outlined how his mental health declined after an IBAC investigation, which did not result in him being charged. "It is often the case the fall from grace for those in the public arena is accompanied by increased media attention," the magistrate said.

Premier Ben Carroll was asked whether the ex-mayor's bid to keep his name suppressed met community standards. "Simple answer: no," he said. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson agreed. "We've had serious concerns about suppression orders for some time," she said.

Both the major parties have pledged to update the state's Open Courts Act, after cases of people charged with serious sex crimes applying to keep their names suppressed.