F-word fracas leads to Bydder walkout from council meeting
Conflict over use of the term “fudging” when addressing finance staff led to a walkout from a city council meeting by councillor Andrew Bydder.
The incident’s been followed by allegations from Bydder of “sexism” towards male councillors.
At yesterday’s finance and monitoring committee meeting, he thanked finance director Tracy Musty for her report which showed further deterioration in the cashstrapped council’s financial position.
“Bad news is good if you get it early enough to actually make changes to make a difference.
“So we appreciate no fudging, hiding of the figures, telling us straight - that’s good to know.”
Cr Sarah Thomson raised a point of order - she later explained she felt that Bydder’s language implied staff would be fudging or hiding.
Bydder said at the meeting he was not sure how he’d been disrespectful.
Chairperson Maxine van Oosten consulted with staff and asked Bydder to re-phrase his commentary.
“Your ruling is not accepted,” Bydder responded.
Queried by councillor Ewan Wilson about the point of order, van Oosten said she was upholding Thomson’s concerns about disrespectful language. Bydder then re-started his comments saying it was good Musty did not “fudge or distort”.
Deputy mayor Angela O’Leary interjected that this was disrespectful to staff and Bydder asked how it was.
Van Oosten then re-entered the fray saying: “I don’t believe using the word fudge is respectful enough to our staff”.
Bydder then claimed his freedom of speech was being blocked in a way that breached his human rights.
Van Oosten didn’t agree. Bydder then left. In a subsequent phone interview, he insisted use of the word “fudging” wasn’t intended to cast aspersions on staff and that’s why he rejected the request to re-phrase things. Bydder said he planned to make code of conduct complaints against Thomson and van Oosten.
He also claimed that “sexism” was shown towards male councillors by senior female members, including van Oosten.
This had allegedly included “belittling criticism” and “disruption” of males’ attempts to “represent ourselves”.
Van Oosten said after the meeting that any claim about her acting in a sexist fashion towards male councillors was “an outrageous and completely baseless accusation”.
“I want responsible, professional, respectful questions of staff. You cannot be implying that staff are not presenting the most honest, clear and transparent information.”
She said she planned to talk to Bydder and “hear him out”.