City of Darwin councillor Amye Un says rights breached over social media post

A City of Darwin councillor is refusing to take down a social media post in which she criticised the government. See what she said.

A City of Darwin councillor is seething after being handed a Code of Conduct warning after a social media post.

Lyons Ward councillors Amye Un said she was being bullied and her basic rights ignored after receiving the code of interest from City of Darwin chief executive Simone Saunders on Friday.

The social media post followed a report in this masthead in June that revealed retired councillor Paul Arnold had received a $100,000 NT government grant to expand his Smith Street gallery several weeks after he was issued a domestic violence order.

Former City of Darwin councillor Paul Arnold. Picture: Che Chorley

On her Facebook site, Ms Un opined it was unfair for a $100,000 grant to go to a single business and called on the grant to be divided into 10 to be distributed around other city businesses.

‘NOW ON I LIKE TO MAKE A FRIEND WITH Mr. Paul Kirby and others ZOMBIES, so I can get the Grand to ...’ the post said, accompanied by a number of ‘angry face’ emojis.

Speaking to the NT News, Ms Un said she felt bullied and belittled by City of Darwin and that the social media post should not be impacted by a code of conduct because it was on her personal Facebook account.

She said it was the second-time she had been accused of violating council’s code of conduct after she made a private visit to an East Timorese dignitary in Darwin last year.

“This is threatening and bullying in the workplace,” Ms Un said.

“This is the second time for me, it’s enough. I don’t want to be bullied for a third time, two times for me is too heavy already.

Amye Un’s Facebook post.

“I’m only continuing the peoples voice from the way I was elected. I am an elected member, my boss is the community. I have to listen to the community and I have to open my heart and be honest in the community.

“If I hear something is not going well in government I have to be open so my community and my people don’t live in the shadows. They need someone open and honest.”

Ms Un said Ms Saunders and Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis had told her they were trying to “protect” her from repercussions after the post.

“I think if Ms Saunders try to help me I appreciate and thankyou very much but why do they have to worry about my comment on Facebook from an article on NT News, and not my article, I only comment.

“I only commented on why the money was given to Paul Arnold and why not split this $100,000 to small business people to improve our business because we promote NT Tourism and visitors too.”

Businesswoman and councillor Amye Un. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

In its email to Ms Un, Council said the councillor had breached rules around courteous behaviour towards Mr Arnold and Mr Kirby as well as the conflict of interest breach.

A City of Darwin spokesman said it had requested Ms Un remove the social media post after it appeared on Friday because it breached Council’s code of conduct and social media policy.

In particular it focused on the proposition that befriending Mr Kirby might lead to better accents to grants.

“With regards to your comments about befriending Minister Kirby, it may be perceived that this is in order to benefit from grant funding, which could call your management of a perceived conflict of interest into question,” the email read.

The email pointed to section 7 part 7.1 of Council’s code of conduct advising ‘a member must avoid any conflict of interest, whether actual or perceived, when undertaking official functions and responsibilities’.

“Councillor Un has been asked to remove the post in question,” the statement said.

Council has dismissed a proposition it had been asked by government to remove the post.