Councillor ejected from Parramatta Council meeting over ‘Gestapo’ call

A western Sydney council meeting descended into chaos when a councillor was ejected after claiming the Mayor, who he labelled a “clown”, was treating him unlawfully.

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A councillor has been booted out of an explosive Parramatta Council meeting tonight after claiming Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson’s threats to ban him were “akin to the Gestapo”.

The meeting descended into chaos and personal attacks in the first 20 minutes when the Mayor’s motion to expel Liberal councillor Ben Barrack over his behaviour at a previous meeting, where he had called Cr Wilson a “clown” and abruptly left with confidential papers in relation to the sacking of CEO Mark Stapleton, was passed.

Cr Barrack was asked to unreservedly apologise for making insulting comments to Cr Wilson at the council meeting last Wednesday night and hand back the papers, including notes he had taken.

However, he refused to do so on both counts. He apologised to “the chair”, but not to Cr Wilson.

Responding to the motion, Cr Barrack claimed it was “one-sided” and “inaccurate”.

He challenged the legality of council’s enforcement that he should have left his notes in its custody, claiming he was being convicted in a “kangaroo court”.

Cr Wilson hit back, saying Cr Barrack was “making a mockery” of the process and repeatedly threatened to eject the first-term Liberal councillor if he didn’t apologise and return the papers.

Cr Barrack lost the vote, where only Greens councillor Phil Bradley backed him, and was then given his marching orders, before he was later kicked off several council committees.

Outside, he told the Advertiser that he held “explosive documents” showing a conflict of interest relating to Cr Wilson and his dealings with Mr Stapleton.

Sacked: Mark Stapleton.

Cr Barrack claimed the contents of the documents were worthy of an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation and that the matter would “end in another forum”.

“I’m concerned about the legality of what’s been happening,” he said after being kicked out, adding it stemmed back to last September when Mr Stapleton was suspended on full pay from the council’s $500,000-a-year top job.

He refused to expand on the contents of the documents he held due to their confidential nature.

Asked to explain his Gestapo reference, he said: “I believe when a councillor takes notes of a meeting, those notes are authored by the councillor and belong to the councillor.”

Cr Wilson denied any conflicts of interest and said he acted with the support of the chamber tonight.

“What Cr Barrack has decided to do is become judge, jury and executioner; it was his way or the highway,” he said during a break in the meeting.

In relation to Cr Barrack’s crack about him acting like a member of the Gestapo, he said: “I give everybody a proper chance to speak and Cr Barrack has the right, if he complies, to bring other motions in other forums.

“I am not going to be thrown out of the chamber doing my job … so someone can simply run roughshod.

“But look, if Cr Barrack had simply apologised, everything would have ended at that point.

“He will get another chance … and he’ll get his day in the chamber to make it up to his colleagues.”

Firm stance: Parramatta Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson.

The early flare-up set the tone for the rest of the meeting, even with the absence of the recalcitrant Cr Barrack.

There were several shouting matches as Cr Wilson struggled to control councillors on both sides of the political divide.

Asked about it later, Cr Wilson justified it on the basis that councillors were “passionate” and deserved their say.

“There are some big matters to deal with and it may take a bit longer to get through it, but we’re getting there,” the Lord Mayor said.