Nillumbik Shire councillor withdraws ‘idiot’ remark during a heated discussion on the annual financial report

NILLUMBIK Shire councillor denies her “idiot” remark during a heated discussion on the annual report was directed at the deputy mayor.

N19dv900 Meralyn Klein is a recently elected councillor who has never had anything to do with politics in the past. She is r...

A NILLUMBIK councillor who used the word “idiot” during a council meeting was asked to withdraw the comment following a heated discussion over an annual financial report last night.

Cr Meralyn Klein suggested the council should look at tightening operational costs instead of increasing next year’s rates cap to save money, but was asked not to stray off the topic of the report by deputy mayor Anika Van Hulsen.

When Nillumbik chief executive Stuart Burdack confirmed rates capping did form part of the shire’s financial report, Cr Klein said “idiot”.

Nillumbik Shire councillor Meralyn Klein denies her “idiot” remark was directed at the deputy mayor during a heated discussion about the Shire’s annual financial report.

Mayor Helen Coleman asked Cr Klein to withdraw her comment, which she did, but did not apologise.

Cr Klein told the Diamond Valley Leader after the meeting that the comment was not directed at Cr Van Hulsen despite “a problem” between the pair.

“The mayor upheld a point of order, even though the CEO confirmed I was correct and … the frustration that I showed in the comment was in relation to the point of order being upheld by the mayor,” Cr Klein said.

Deputy mayor Anika Van Hulsen.

While Cr Van Hulsen believed the comment was made during the Eltham Leisure Centre and Aquatic redevelopment discussion, not financial reports, she said it was “offensive, completely inappropriate and poor governance conduct”.

Cr Van Hulsen said she did not want to discuss a “confidential” problem between the pair.

Earlier in the meeting, Cr Klein and Cr Peter Perkins walked out when a report about the potential sale of surplus council land was tabled.

Cr Perkins said he had a conflict of interest in the matter because he was considering buying one of the sites intended to be sold, while Cr Klein said she did not see the motion put forward by Cr Van Hulsen prior to the meeting and “refused to take any part”.

The council did not hold a quorum and the matter was deferred to the next council meeting on September 8.

Cr Coleman apologised to those in the council chamber.

Banyule Council Mayor Craig Langdon, who is attending council meetings at neighbouring municipalities to see how they operate, said he had “never seen anything like it”.