Sunshine Coast Council: Anti-mandators threaten to storm council chambers

Several Sunshine Coast councillors slammed Joe Natoli for his anti-mandate campaign that they said led to “reprehensible” threatening and abusive messages.

A Sunshine Coast councillor whose colleagues were threatened after his public campaign against vaccine mandates has made no apologies for “being the voice of the people”.

Joe Natoli’s controversial push for Sunshine Coast Council to stand against new rules for unvaccinated people was rejected by councillors on Thursday, eight votes to three.

Mr Natoli maintains it was not politically motivated despite telling a crowd of 1200 people at an anti-mandate meeting this week to “put Labor last”.

Councillor Ted Hungerford said he received many threatening emails and messages, including one phone call where he was told he “would not be safe anywhere” if he voted against Mr Natoli.

He accused Mr Natoli of “cheap, populous politics” and chasing popularity votes.

Protestors gathered outside Sunshine Coast Council chambers to call on the council to take a stand against vaccine mandates. Picture: Tegan Annett

Mayor Mark Jamieson hit out at the abuse councillors had received and reminded them as the mayor he would “have their back”.

“I will not tolerate bullying, intimidation, harassment or threats to each of you in order to advance the political interests of Mr Natoli,” he said.

“What each of you have endured is distasteful and reprehensible.”

Multiple councillors said they were disappointed with Mr Natoli’s speech at a Cotton Tree rally where he said CEO Emma Thomas asked a “discriminatory” question about vaccinations.

When asked if he apologised to Ms Thomas Mr Natoli said he had spoken to her.

During the meeting Mr Natoli’s speech was cut at five minutes after only three councillors voted in support of him getting an extension of time.

He was also questioned by Maria Suarez whether he discussed concerns about the CEO’s vaccination survey directly with her, or if he had any contact with the state government about issues raised by small businesses.

He said he had done neither.

After the meeting Mr Natoli said he was disappointed with the result and that he felt “personally attacked” by some councillors.

“They can throw what they like at me,” he said.

“I’ll be the voice of the people and if that means I’ll say things that other councillors don’t want me to say, or that makes them uncomfortable, so be it, I’m not going to be held back because of protocol.”

Mr Natoli said he was worried the new mandate would create an “us versus them” mentality.

Sunshine Coast councillors Joe Natoli and Ted Hungerford and Mayor Mark Jamieson.

“I know what it’s like to be racially vilified and treated differently and to lose a business and to go through a mental health crisis,” he said.

Several Queensland councils have raised concern with the mandates including Livingstone, Mackay, Whitsundays, Fraser and Isaac in Central and Northern Queensland.

University of the Sunshine Coast nursing lecturer and infectious diseases expert Matt Mason said it was necessary to increase Queensland’s vaccination rate.

“The choice really is vaccinate, or if we don’t have the right level of vaccination, the only other option we have is lockdowns and border closures.

“From a small business perspective, which one is better?

“I suspect the vaccine is probably more palatable.”

Mr Jamieson said councillors were not “sitting on their hands” and he had already written to state health and small business ministers about the vaccine mandate being introduced at December 17.

“The government has a plan around public health and social measures … their plan is working,” he said.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council: Anti-mandators threaten to storm council chambers