Tea Tree Gully Mayor Kevin Knight has vowed to fight back after fourth bid to have him ousted following a Facebook interview

A northern suburbs council has condemned its mayor’s actions with a fourth vote of no confidence but he has vowed to ‘fight back’ amid sexual harassment allegations.

A northern suburbs mayor has vowed to ‘fight back’ despite a fourth motion of no confidence being passed against him by his council.

Kevin Knight has endured nearly two years of controversy surrounding his behaviour, with Tea Tree Gully council asking him to resign on several occasions.

The embattled mayor underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery in June which he said was brought on by intensifying legal scrutiny – and a media doorstop.

A lengthy interview on a community Facebook page protesting his innocence sparked a special council meeting on February 3, where a fourth vote of no confidence was held amid calls for his resignation.

Tea Tree Gully Council mayor Kevin Knight during his Facebook interview. Picture: Facebook

Mr Knight said recent allegations that he had identified a woman he allegedly sexually harassed during the interview were “a pack of lies”.

“There’s never been any sexual harassment in my time as mayor and there never will be,” he said.

“They can move whatever motions they like – keep watching my Facebook page because I am about to start fighting back.

“There were no names mentioned in the interview.

“I have statutory declarations that prove she’s a liar, why are they not interested?

“I won't be resigning and I won’t take any notice of their motion of no confidence because it means nothing.

“I was elected mayor of the city by 12,000 people, not those 10.”

A council spokesperson said the council condemned the actions taken by Mr Knight on social media.

“Council moved a further vote of no confidence in Mayor Knight, noting council has resolved this previously on a number of occasions and calls for his immediate resignation,” the spokesperson said.

Previous motions of no confidence occurred at council meetings on June 29, 2020, March 17, 2021 and April 20, 2021.

Mr Knight has previously refuted the findings of a council-commissioned investigation that ruled in April last year that he breached its code of conduct 31 times.

Legal firm Norman Waterhouse investigated an 2019 incident at the Modbury Civic Centre, where it was claimed the mayor inappropriately touched a female staffer on the backside as well as referring to the woman as dressing like a “$2 tramp”.

While still collecting his annual allowance of $80,000, Mr Knight has been stripped of most of his mayoral responsibilities, with Deputy Mayor Lucas Jones now carrying out those duties.

The Local Government Association did wish to not provide a comment.