By Alesha Capone
Tensions boiled over at Wyndham council’s last public meeting, with a long-serving councillor threatening to walk out due to the “disgraceful” behaviour on display.
The meeting, held last Tuesday, comes just weeks after western metropolitan MP Bernie Finn called for the council to be sacked and administrators appointed.
Mr Finn made the call last month, after Cr Kim McAliney resigned ahead of the Victorian municipal elections to be held in October.
The council last week voted not to replace Ms McAliney before the election.
Also at the meeting, Cr Intaj Khan put forward two motions, one in relation to a potential fee waiver on rates, which did not get voted in.
His other motion related to the council receiving a report on the implementation of its CCTV policy, which the majority of councillors voted in favour of.
During discussion of Cr Khan’s fee waiver motion, Cr Peter Maynard said: “I just think this motion is another Kath and Kim, look at me, look at me.”
At other times during the meeting, Cr Maynard interjected: “It must be close to an election,” and “There must be an election going.”
Cr Henry Barlow also interjected: “Vote for Intaj in October.”
Cr Heather Marcus said she was “absolutely disgusted” by the behaviour.
“I’ve been on this council for 15 years and the behaviour around this council chamber is disgraceful,” she said.
“I could walk out of this council tonight, and if I walk tonight, I will tell everybody how and what I’ve put up with over this last four years.”
In response, mayor Josh Gilligan asked the councillors who were interjecting to “please refrain from doing that”.
After the council meeting, when asked what he thought of the council meeting, Cr Gilligan said: “We are a broad church and people will ultimately decide in 15, 16 to 20 weeks who they want to represent them.”
