Cove Football Club calls on Marion Council to formally review its decision to evict them from their Hallett Cove clubrooms
The Cove Football Club wants a formal review of Marion Council’s decision to evict them from their Hallett Cove clubrooms. The council will do so, but to check on its procedures rather than the merits of the call.
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Marion Council could revisit its decision to kick the Cove Football Club out of its Hallett Cove clubrooms following sexual harassment allegations as early as next week, and the council’s general manager has indicated it could be reversed - but with conditions.
Club president Tony Kernahan appeared before the council at a meeting on Tuesday night to request a formal independent review of the decision to terminate the club’s lease at the Cove Community and Sports Club.
Mr Kernahan told elected members that he offered his “sincere apologies” to anyone who had felt harassed, intimidated or threatened.
He said any members who behaved in a sexist manner had “to change or leave”.
“Conduct the kind that has been alleged is completely unacceptable,” Mr Kernahan said.
“It threatens the future of our beloved club and undermines the commitment of many of our committee members, players and officials and will not be tolerated.”
He said 99 per cent of the club’s members were inclusive of everyone and that it would “deal” with the one per cent.
The review will examine whether the council followed the correct procedures rather than assess the merits of its decision.
The club was evicted after a two-month independent investigation found that a “culture of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour” existed.
The club said it still did not know the exact nature of the allegations, which were made confidentially to the council.
The council heard that female netball players had been sexually harassed and that a female staff member had been subject to “insulting sexist language”.
It also found that the Cove Football Club had a sense of entitlement to the facility and that other sporting clubs were not using the grounds because they felt intimidated.
The Hallett Cove facility is also used by two netball clubs, a cricket club, BMX club and soccer club.
More than 6000 people have signed a petition urging the council to reverse its decision.
The Cobras also have the backing of the Southern Football League and local state and federal MPs.
Acting city development manager Fiona Harvey said the behaviour described in the investigation report was “inconsistent with community standards and unacceptable”.
She said the council gave the club the boot to “send a strong message that it will not condone this type of extreme behaviour in its community facilities”.
The council had already spent more than $8200 on personal duress alarms, extra CCTV cameras and a security guard for events with alcohol.
On radio on Wednesday, Marion Council general manager Adrian Skull flagged that the council could revisit the decision next week.
However he said the Cobras would have to satisfy multiple “conditions” placed on the reversal.
“What we may do is have a special meeting of council next week,” he said on Triple M.
“And one councillor could put forward a rescission motion (on the eviction).
“(But) there will be conditions on this rescission motion... you (the club) have to work with council and other clubs to change this culture (that has emerged).”