Alison Jones, George Christensen, Martin Bella fight on Facebook

After news of the exit of George Christensen, a Mackay councillor has sensationally asked one of her unnamed colleagues to step down if he won’t step up as another weighed in with a football analogy.

Councillors Alison Jones, Martin Bella and George Christensen.

A Mackay councillor has demanded one of her colleagues step down if he won’t fulfil his obligations in the role, but he’s responded revealing his recent ill health.

Alison Jones made a post about an unnamed colleague — understood by Martin Bella to be about himself — in which she said “If you’ve already checked out, then check out properly”, noting “months” of missed meetings and briefings.

Drawing a parallel with George Christensen’s decision to resign, Ms Jones said “I would suggest other councillors reflect on this decision by Cr Christensen and determine whether or not they should take the opportunity to do the right thing by ratepayers and by themselves.”

“When a councillor openly admits they haven’t been meeting their obligations as a councillor — and that’s been the case not just in recent weeks but for months now — then surely it’s time to ask the obvious question: why are they still here?”

Councillor George Christensen will retire from council on Friday, stepping down as he may need to be a primary carer for his daughter out of Mackay. Picture: Heidi Petith

Mr Christensen, responding to the post, used a football metaphor to double down on the accusation against an also unnamed councillor, claiming another colleague made a joke about the lack of attendance in the Wednesday meeting.

“You can’t just knock the ball on at kick-off and then spend the rest of the game on the sideline collecting match pay,” he wrote.

“But that’s exactly what’s been happening.

“And now this councillor look like they are about to launch a reverse-engineered narrative trying to paint my departure from council as irresponsible — while their real absenteeism goes unchallenged.”

Last week, this masthead asked Mr Bella why he wouldn’t step down immediately when he revealed he would not be contesting the next election, noting missed multiple council meetings and briefings in recent weeks.

Mr Bella made reference to ‘personal issues’ but insisted “Anyone that knows me knows I don’t do things half hearted. I could have easily tucked my head and cruised along,” he said.

Councillor Martin Bella has revealed he has been battling poor mental and physical health. Picture: Duncan Evans

Now Mr Bella has made those reasons public, noting three recent medical issues, two of which required surgery.

“Recovery from these has been problematic to say the least,” he said in a Facebook post.

“I have also been dealing with issues surrounding mental health for which I have been availing myself of appropriate services.”

On announcing his decision to retire, Mr Bella said that was his “right”.

“I did so in the interests of being honest and open in my intentions,” he said.

“It does not however mean that I am now incapable or uncommitted to my work.”

This masthead asked Ms Jones and Mr Christensen about Mr Bella’s post, whether they were satisfied with the answer he gave and if the public should be.

“It is up to the public to judge whether or not a councillor is doing their job properly when they have been absent from very important council briefing sessions, training seminars, budget deliberations and corporate planning for months on end,” Ms Jones said.

Mr Christensen revealed his own issues with mental health.

“I was clinically diagnosed with severe stress and depression late last year,” he said.

“I didn’t make a fuss out of it. I continued to show up. I continued to work. I continued to carry on carrying on.

“It’s up to the public to judge whether or not a councillor is doing their job properly when they miss 18 important council briefing days, including budget deliberations and corporate planning sessions, over a period of over three months.”

This masthead has also requested records of councillor attendance at meetings and briefings from Mackay Regional Council.

Originally published as Alison Jones, George Christensen, Martin Bella fight on Facebook