Rob Petreski claims he was ‘knifed’ in Australia Day council snub

The tensions on Shellharbour Council between Labor and the independents continue to simmer as one councillor claims he’s been the victim of a ‘knifing’.

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A Shellharbour Labor councillor has quoted Indian civil rights figure Mahatma Gandhi after declaring he had been “knifed” from multiple committees and working groups.

Councillor Rob Petreski was voted off four committees including the Australia Day Advisory Committee, the Shellharbour Sports Assistance Advisory Committee, the CEO Performance Review Panel and the Active Recreation Working Party.

Cr Petreski’s Labor councillor colleague Maree Duffy-Moon lost a vote for a position on the Shellharbour Traffic Committee to independent councillor John Davey – a result which meant Labor lost all five to the contested committee positions.

The Labor bloodbath at Tuesday’s council meeting led to Cr Petreski raising a point of business to claim he was a victim of a “personal attack and an affront” and he had been denied his “equal employment opportunity”.

“I‘ll stop you right there,” Mayor Chris Homer interjected before Cr Petreski tried to continue.

“While I am speaking you don’t speak,” the mayor said.

“We‘ve been through this prior and it’s all about choice. It’s turned out how it’s turned out.”

Shellharbour Labor councillor Rob Petreski. Picture: Facebook

“We tried to go through this last night and you didn’t want to go through this at the briefing,” Cr Petreski said before going on to quote Gandhi.

“I was removed, some would say axed, some would say knifed.

“I’ll finish up here with a quote from a quite famous person, ‘first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you and then you win’ – that was Mahatma Gandhi.”

Labor councillor Lou Stefanovski asked if he could speak which triggered Cr Davey to say “If Cr Stefanovski has a word then I do as well Mr Mayor”.

“Me too,” Cr Duffy-Moon added before Cr Homer said the discussion was over and moved onto the next item.

The councillor was referring to Shellharbour Council‘s Equal Opportunity Management Plan which aims to “eliminate and ensure the absence of discrimination in employment” and “promote Equal Employment Opportunities”.

However, councillors are not considered council employees.

Later that evening, Cr Petreski issued a statement venting his frustrations while going further in regards to him being voted off the Australia Day Advisory Committee.

“I was the only non-Anglo/Celtic Councillor serving on the Australia Day Advisory Committee,“ he said.

“To be forcibly removed from that committee feels like a racial kick in the guts.

“It also troubles me that this coalition of so-called independent councillors appear to be continually block voting and putting political point scoring ahead of good collaborative outcomes for our community.”

Shellharbour mayor Chris Homer with deputy mayor Kellie Marsh. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Deputy mayor Kellie Marsh rubbished Cr Petreski’s accusations, saying every councillor had a “democratic right” to nominate as a delegate and “vote for whichever candidate they feel is most suitable”.

“Last night’s election to the various committees and working parties were not a block against Labor – that was not even a thought or consideration,” Cr Marsh said.

“I supported Cr Stefanovski with his nomination to some committees and he is from the same political party and background as Cr Petreski.

“Both Cr Stefanovski and Cr Hamilton, who is also a Labor Councillor, were elected to committees unopposed.

“In terms of diversity, independent Cr Davey has a Lebanese background and was born in New Zealand and he was elected to several committees.

“I am sure he would take offence to Cr Petreski’s insinuations that the voting was somehow racially biased.

“In this day and age, I can’t believe we are even talking about this.

“The reason why I did not support Cr Petreski’s nomination for various committees was because I felt that there were other more suitable nominees.”