Adelaide City Council meeting: Cr Henry Davis accused of ‘disrespectful’ behaviour towards women

An Adelaide City councillor has been accused in a public meeting of “disruptive and disrespectful” behaviour designed to “intimidate” women on the council.

An Adelaide City councillor has been accused in a public meeting of “disruptive and disrespectful” behaviour designed to “silence, intimidate and undermine women” on the council.

Cr Janet Giles made a statement at Tuesday night’s public meeting regarding Cr Henry Davis following an Instagram video he posted last week.

On the video, Cr Davis criticised the council’s committee meeting payment structure and alluded to Cr Giles receiving $1500 to chair a meeting, ‘when she wasn’t even there’.

Cr Giles told the meeting the payment of $1500 was an “outrageous claim” and questioned whether Cr Davis – who was issued a defamation concerns notice by Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith’s lawyers last month – had a “pattern of behaviour” of undermining women on council.

“Is it an accident that this same councillor whose trigger-happy social media presence has consistently attacked and disrespected the female presiding member of this council and now another female presiding member,” Cr Giles said.

“Lord Mayor, this behaviour seems to be disruptive, disrespectful and designed to silence intimidate and undermine women in this chamber which could result in actively discouraging women in our community from considering running for office.”

Cr Davis vehemently denied he had a problem with women: “I am a long time critic of the committee structure. There are four chairs, two male and two female. This has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with ripping off ratepayers.”

Adelaide City Council candidate and former Burnside councillor Henry Davis.

Adelaide city councillor Janet Giles.

Cr Giles comments received an applause from Cr Carmel Noon, while Cr Phil Martin thanked Cr Giles for her “frankness and courage in saying what is on the minds of a lot of us”.

“Why is it that women in this chamber are constantly under attack?” said Cr Martin, who himself was found to be a major contributor to last term’s “dysfunctional and aggressive” culture of council as found in a report commissioned by the council.

The public 20-page report by EMA Legal highlighted the poor conduct of a minority of councillors taking a toll on the wellbeing of council members and staff – for which Cr Martin apologised for at the time.

“I look to you Lord Mayor, you are subjected to persistent unreasonable attacks by people in this chamber, it is appalling behaviour,” Cr Martin said.

Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith.

Cr Phillip Martin.

“Lord Mayor, there is a pattern here and I ask every member of this chamber to condemn it now. It must stop.”

Cr Davis interjected and told Cr Martin “I attack you a lot” and later added: “I have significant issues with Cr Snape as well – both are men”.

He was stopped from adding anything further about the “attacks around me and issues with women” having earlier made a personal statement following Cr Giles comments.

“They can say what they say to be true but not me,” he said.

Cr Davis had earlier told the chamber his “major gripe” was with the committee meeting structure that outlines the four committee chairs get paid an additional $7500 a year.

“I would like to correct the record – you (Cr Giles) don’t earn $1500 an hour, you earn $750 per meeting – the last meeting went for 20 minutes,” Cr Davis said.

“My view on this issue is to have one committee, chaired by our very capable deputy lord mayor who already gets 1.5 per cent loading and that would cost ratepayers no additional funds.”

Originally published as Adelaide City Council meeting: Cr Henry Davis accused of ‘disrespectful’ behaviour towards women