Adelaide City councillor files code of conduct complaint against councillor Anne Moran over swearing
An Adelaide City councillor has filed a formal complaint against veteran councillor Anne Moran — after a meeting erupted into a screaming match.
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A formal complaint about an Adelaide City councillor using the “f-bomb” and calling a fellow colleague a “dickhead” is a way of showing bad behaviour will not be tolerated in meetings, the complainant says.
Cr Arman Abrahimzadeh yesterday lodged a code of conduct complaint about Cr Anne Moran’s behaviour towards him during meetings in February and May.
He said he lodged a letter that detailed more than one incident between them.
“In late February, we had an incident where I wanted to make an amendment to one of Cr Moran’s motions and that is when Cr Moran, when her microphone was on … turned to me and said: ‘you speak to me before you f***ing change my motion’, or something along those lines,” Cr Abrahimzadeh said.
“The ‘dickhead’ remark was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“So the first was the f-bomb dropped on me and the second was ‘dickhead’ and they are the words that are on public record — can you imagine what else happens behind closed doors that is not on public record.”
The complaint was made after a fiery meeting on Tuesday night where the meeting had to be suspended because of councillors hurling abuse at each other.
The Advertiser later revealed Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll was considering giving South Australian mayors new power to deal with immature and disruptive councillors.
That could include booting elected members from meetings.
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said on ABC Radio on Thursday morning neither bad behaviour nor swearing was acceptable.
She said she thought extra power “would be helpful” when responding to questions about Mr Knoll’s proposal.
She was optimistic behaviour would change.
“We will work together because we have another three and a half years,” she said.
“It is such a distraction from all the good work we are doing … an extraordinary amount done of which I am incredibly proud.”
On ABC Radio, Deputy Lord Mayor Houssam Abiad compared Cr Phil Martin to Derryn Hinch and Cr Moran to Pauline Hanson.
“(They are) making a lot of noise and trying to get messages out there and disrupting good people from doing good work,” Mr Abiad said.
Cr Moran told The Advertiser she jokingly used the word “dickhead” to Cr Abrahimzadeh while he was using ‘d’ words to describe developers.
She said it was a “lighthearted comment” that “was not supposed to be perceived in any way”.
“It is a colloquial Australian term (dickhead) … it’s not as if I called him the ‘c-word’ or anything like that,” Cr Moran said.
“I think to code of conduct a colleague is despicable.”
Cr Moran said in her view it was “being used as a weapon to bully and intimidate members of smaller factions”.
She said there appeared to be “incredible malice against members that are not (faction) Team Adelaide, enormous malice, and that is why the behaviour is appalling”.
“Some of the behaviour is mine too, but I am so frustrated of constantly being abused at dinner, abused in the passage, abused on the radio and being called an old granny who should retire — it is very offensive.”
She said she would “never code of conduct anyone” because it is a “mean” thing to do.
“This is a minor incident, it will cost ratepayers money and I see it as bullying and intimidating,” she said.
In response to his code of conduct complaint, Cr Abrahimzadeh said: “How can you bully and intimidate someone by lodging a complaint, with the facts to confirm the allegation?”
Adelaide chief executive Mark Goldstone confirmed a code of conduct had been received and no further comment could be provided about it “as to protect the integrity of the process”.
He said from an operational perspective, the council continues to deliver great services and outcomes to community.
“Following the election in November, many constructive and positive decisions have been made by the elected member group. I am confident this will continue.”
He declined to make further comments.
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