Salisbury councillors Severina Burner and Grace Bawden release forced apology that accuses council of calling them ‘conspiracy theorists’

Two controversial Salisbury councillors accuse their council of calling them “conspiracy theorists” in a ranting public apology that touches on eugenics and “hackable animals”.

The two northern suburbs councillors under fire for their controversial online comments have issued a public apology but slammed their council for regulating their “God-given right to free speech”.

Severina Burner and Grace Bawden have been at the centre of ongoing controversy after it was revealed they had shared information online comparing smart cities to concentration camps.

Residents called for Ms Burner’s resignation in the wake of her comparison in a social media post that said smart cities with CCTV cameras were comparable to “a concentration camp with pretty interactive lights”.

After being condemned by Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge and deputy mayor Chad Buchanan, Ms Burner and Ms Bawden issued a public apology on Sunday, telling constituents they were sorry the council “feels it is justified in regulating anyone’s God-given right to free speech in a free & democratic country, by using tactics seen only under dictatorships”.

Salisbury councillors Grace Bawden and Severina Burner.

In the 900-word statement, Ms Burner and Ms Bawden said the council felt it “necessary to condemn their vigorous & public condemnation of Fascistic ideologies & practices” and was “offended by the right of Councillors to engage in political discourse & public debate on any topic as they may deem fit”.

They also said the council had “engaged in slander, slur & smear by innuendo of Councillors who have warned against the risks of corruption within local Councils under a digital surveillance state” and “deliberately & knowingly manipulated, conflated & misconstrued our written language in ways that are intellectually dishonest, false & defamatory”.

The councillors also criticised the council for classing “Nazi terminology” as “offensive in order to deny the right of Councillors to educate the public about the horrors of Nazi ideologies including the philosophy & practice of eugenics”.

They accuse the council of calling them “conspiracy theorists” and mention “hackable animals”.

In response to the statement, Ms Aldrige told The Advertiser Ms Burner and Ms Bawden’s behaviour was “the worst” she had ever seen from councillors.

“You just don’t do what they’ve done,” she said.

“We’ve never had anything like this. We’re going in there to work hard and commit ourselves to our community.”

Ms Aldridge strongly denied Ms Burner and Ms Bawden’s allegations of bullying and that the behaviour alleged in the councillors’ statement “just didn’t happen”.

Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge denied allegations of bullying by the council. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“I’m just astounded,” she said.

“There’s no way we can let this ruin our wonderful council.”

The Advertiser understands several formal complaints about Ms Burner and Ms Bawden have been lodged with the council.

A council spokesman said Ms Burner and Ms Bawden’s views were their own and not the council’s.

“The City of Salisbury do not share these false claims and categorically reject the assertions being made by these individuals,” he said.

“Council is considering all options available on how best to respond to such assertions.”