HOBSONS Bay mayor Angela Altair has responded to the outrage over last week’s council meeting, saying the council did not want to make rushed decisions.
Immediately following Tuesday night’s meeting, emotional residents said they were left “speechless, appalled and disgusted” at the behaviour of Hobsons Bay councillors at their November 27 meeting.
Of eight motions moved by Cherry Lake councillor Tony Briffa, only one — requesting a report about issues in Burns Road — received a seconder: that was new councillor Paul Morgan.
However, five councillors voted against it.
Cr Briffa’s seven other motions lapsed.
Police were called when Laverton North business owner Michael Sergi became angered that questions concerning the troubled Burns Road estate failed to elicit answers.
Landowners on the estate say they have “dead land”. They were demanding to know how the council could collect rates while letting their land “remain fallow” due to a caveat which states lots under two hectares can’t be developed.
Mr Sergi told the angry gallery: “I’m sorry that the people that you’ve got here are blind and selfish and they don’t belong here.”
Cr Briffa said: “Good, decent community-minded motions tonight didn’t even have a seconder . . . things like improving safety at Harrington Square for lights around the shopping centre where we’ve had issues.
“Things like a crossing on Millers Road for kids and cyclists. Unbelievable. They’re flexing their [voting] bloc.”
Resident Anne Tangey questioned whether the councillors’ actions had been planned. “How many councillors do we have — seven? So, six will be against whatever Tony brings forward, even his fellow ward councillor [Sandra Wilson]. Was this planned?”
Another resident, Ann Hunter, said she was left speechless by the behaviour of councillors elected by the residents of Hobsons Bay.
Cr Wilson said her decision not to second Cr Briffa’s motions was not a personal attack on a fellow councillor but was motivated by a desire to go through correct processes and not make decisions on the run.
Mayor Angela Altair said in a statement that the council did not want to make rushed decisions. “Last [Tuesday] night’s council meeting sent a clear message that this council wishes to do things differently. Using notices of motion as the starting point for decision making is not good governance and can lead to poor results.”
Strand ward councillor Paul Morgan said as he was not briefed on the matters raised in Cr Briffa’s motions, he was unable to confidently second or support any except for one relating to Burns Road about which he had a detailed understanding.
