Local councillor angry after being ‘muted’ by Surf Coast Mayor

A controversial mental health facility just metres from a Surf Coast primary school continues to cause a stir among the community and councillors.

Opponents to Haven Home in Torquay at the land earmarked for development opposite Torquay Coast Primary School. Picture: Alison Wynd.

A local councillor says she was unfairly silenced by Surf Coast Mayor Liz Pattison during a heated discussion over a controversial mental health facility.

Mind Australia’s soon-to-be-built Haven Home will house people with serious mental illness on Silvereye St in north Torquay.

The site is just metres from Torquay Coast Primary School and the YMCA Early Learning Centre.

A petition opposing the facility garnered hundreds of signatures from nearby residents.

Several members of the public asked questions on the issue at council’s recent meeting.

Following the questions, councillor Heather Wellington, who supports the residents, asked the shire’s chief executive Robyn Seymour if she could facilitate a meeting between the residents and Mind Australia.

“Can we do our role of advocacy a bit more actively in this?” Ms Wellington said.

Ms Seymour responded that council was already in consultation with both Mind Australia and residents.

Ms Pattison hesitantly allowed Ms Wellington to speak, but then requested she be muted “to move on with the meeting”.

Surf Coast Mayor Liz Pattison. Picture: Alison Wynd

Ms Wellington said such behaviour “diminished council in the eyes of the people”.

“I was disappointed by the mayor’s attitude,” she said.

“I feel we’ve let the community down.”

Ms Wellington said while Haven Home fell under the state government’s planning scheme, council still had a role in advocating for the needs of the community.

“Effectively there’s no opportunity for residents to have any say,” she said

“The chief executive says we have no role … an obvious role for the chief executive would be to try to convene a meeting between Mind Australia and the residents and to actually put these issues on the table and alleviate these concerns.”

Ms Wellington said council needed to recognise that the residents were “desperately worried” about the development.

“Put yourself in their shoes, would you want your council to help you?” she said.

Ms Wellington said residents had expressed concern about the development’s high density, with 12 units on the 1000sq metre block.

She also cited potential impacts from housing people with serious mentally illness so close to a primary school, as well as congestion in the area.

Heather Wellington. Picture: Glenn Ferguson.

Ian and Naomi Stewart attended the council meeting and were “very disappointed” by the mayor’s response.

“Obviously, Heather was trying to assist us as concerned residents,” Mr Stewart said.

“We all agree this is a magnificent facility and very needed, but it is in the wrong location.”

Ms Pattison said councillors have many avenues to ask questions of the chief executive.

“It is really important that public question time remains a forum for the public to engage with council,” she said.

Ms Seymour said council had suggested to Mind Australia that it should meet with concerned residents.

“We are comfortable that we have worked diligently with Mind Australia, helping them understand the concerns raised and regularly asked for them to be addressed,” she said.

“We understand that Mind Australia commits to respond to all enquiries they receive.”

Originally published as Local councillor angry after being ‘muted’ by Surf Coast Mayor