Official warning
Horsham mayor Pam Clarke has warned her fellow councillors disrespectful behaviour including personal criticism, intimidation and bullying could result in financial sanctions and police intervention.
Cr Clarke opened Monday night’s meeting by reading a prepared statement.
The statement outlined her responsibility to ensure council meetings were run in accordance with the Governance Local Law and incorporated meeting procedure.
Cr Clarke said she believed she had no choice but to remind councillors of their responsibilities – including the councillors code of conduct they committed to in February last year – following an escalation of behaviour she considered an ‘occupational health and safety issue’.
Cr Clarke told The Weekly Advertiser several councillors had reported feeling distressed because of intimidating and bullying behaviour in council meetings and councillor briefings.
“One councillor says they feel sick every time they have to go into a meeting – that they feel intimidated and fear they cannot speak out for a fear of being ridiculed,” she said.
“Another councillor has previously had to have time off because it was affecting their health.
“The fact is it has become an occupational health and safety issue.
“Personal comments or criticisms, bulling or intimidation behaviours in any form, will not be tolerated from this point.
“From now on, I will be working to ensure we are a place of respect, a place of free-flowing ideas, a place where we debate the issues and do not attack the person.”
Cr Clarke warned councillors any diversion from respectful behaviours would be met with sanctions outlined in Local Law 1.
She said the chairperson, in this case herself as mayor, ‘may order an authorised officer or police to remove any person, including a councillor, who disrupts any meeting or otherwise affects the business of the meeting, or fails to comply with a direction’.
“Any person – including a councillor – who has been called to order by the chairperson of any meeting and who then fails to comply with the chairperson’s direction will be guilty of an offence under Local Law – governance, 2016 – for failure to comply with the chairperson’s direction,” she said. “The penalty is 10 penalty units.” Cr Clarke said it was the chairperson’s duty to retain control and order of the meeting, to act impartially and to ensure a smooth passage of business before the meeting, allowing for fair examination of contentious matters.
Cr Clarke said this included not accepting any motion, question or statement that appeared to be derogatory, defamatory or embarrassing to any member of council, council staff, ratepayer, resident or member of the public.
“Councillors and officers of this chamber, I commit to you my pledge, that I will do my best to ensure you leave this chamber with the feeling of achievement and confidence that we have debated the issues with integrity and respect,” she said.
“It is my role as mayor to try my best to protect the integrity of the decision-making process, and the integrity of this chamber and the health and wellbeing of every person here.
“If for any reason you cannot comply with these standards of behaviour, standard of respect for this chamber, for your fellow councillors or for the officers that must attend, then the appropriate sanctions will be applied.”
Cr John Robinson tried to interrupt Cr Clarke’s statement by raising a point of order.
“You’ve inferred that behaviour of some of these members – and I know you’re talking about me, in particular – aren’t up to a standard. I would like a right of reply,” he said.
Cr Clarke denied his request, saying ‘there is no right of reply in a statutory statement’.
Cr Robinson later used the first part of his councillor report to tell Cr Clarke he found her behaviour offensive.
“I think we all agree with what was said but Madam Mayor, it has to apply equally, to you as well,” he said.