“Am I going to be shoved into a waste paper basket?”: Councillor confronts new mayor months after public apology
Months after he was forced to apologise for breaching the code of conduct, Councillor David Grace has wasted no time confronting the new Kingborough Mayor. LATEST >>
Tasmania
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- Explained: What’s next for the Mt Wellington Cable Car proposal?
- Mt Wellington Cable Car rejected by Hobart Council
A Kingborough councillor has wasted no time in clashing with the new mayor of the municipality, months after he was forced to publicly apologise to his fellow councillor.
At the first council meeting since the by-election, Councillor David Grace early on raised concerns around communication with Mayor Paula Wriedt.
“I sent you an email this week regarding questions I raised at the table, and I feel I’m not getting sufficient answers to,” Mr Grace said.
“I have no response from you, is that going to continue while you’re mayor?
“With our relationship the way it is am I going to be shoved into a waste paper basket?
“How will I deal with stuff without going to you?”
Ms Wriedt said she was not aware of any emails sent by Mr Grace in the last week.
“Looking at my emails here and I’ve just checked my junk mail and I can assure you there’s not one here from you in relation to that,” Ms Wriedt said.
The confrontation follows an incident where Mr Grace was forced to apologise to Ms Wriedt for comments which breached the code of conduct.
During a workshop in November Mr Grace told Ms Wriedt “I will put you on your tail” after she called him out for making sexist remarks about needing a “male IT man” to fix a tech issue.
Ms Wriedt assured Mr Grace he would be treated respectfully.
“I think this is an opportune time to put this on the table,” Ms Wriedt said.
“It’s fair to say everyone is aware that the relationship you and I have had has played out very publicly and I have every intention of dealing with you respectfully, like every other councillor sitting around this table.
“I will have an open door policy for you and all of your colleagues to come and speak to me about any issue you have concerns about.
“I appreciate that,” Mr Grace said.
He then revealed he had not sent the email directly to Ms Wriedt.
“I suggest you maybe talk to Amanda because I sent it to Amanda because I wasn’t aware of your new address as mayor,” he said.
Mr Grace had one more question for the new mayor.
“As the first female mayor, and congratulations on that, you may be able to help me get our bus shelter painted pink,” he said.
The council is trying to get clarity on the ownership of the bus stops.
Councillor accused of hypocrisy over phone use in meetings
A Clarence councillor who criticised a Hobart city Alderman for exchanging messages with the proponent of the cable car during Tuesday’s special meeting has been accused of hypocrisy.
Councillor Beth Warren said it was inappropriate, urging members to avoid frivolous phone use during council meetings.
She also revealed some colleagues had even watched the footy and Married At First Sight in meetings.
Clarence Alderman Brendan Blomeley said Ms Warren was also guilty of using her phone.
“Alderman Warren is well known to access her phone during Council meetings, as per the attached picture taken during a recent Clarence City Council Meeting, as are many of us,” Mr Blomeley said.
“Alderman Warren would be better placed spending the time to get her head around the work she has been elected to do.”
Meanwhile Alderman Simon Behrakis, who was called out for his phone use, said devices was needed.
“At the end of the day alderman and councillors need to be able to remain in communication with people during meetings to be able to do our job effectively,” Mr Behrakis said.
“I might suggest that Beth Warren spend more time getting on top of council agendas and less time worrying about what other elected members in other councils are doing.”
‘Inappropriate’ phone use called out in Hobart council meetings
A Hobart Alderman who was called out for messaging the proponent of the cable car during a special meeting on Tuesday is an example why phones should be avoided at council meetings, according to a Clarence councillor.
Councillor Beth Warren said the behaviour was inappropriate.
“If one of the councillors is in communication with one of the developers during the meeting, it doesn’t pass the pub test,” Ms Warren said.
“You should be listening to a debate and giving it your full attention.”
The comments come after the executive chair of the Mount Wellington Cableway Company was asked if he had been messaging a councillor during deputations at Tuesday’s special meeting.
That Alderman was later revealed to be Alderman Simon Behrakis who said he’d done nothing wrong.
Ms Warren said there’d been times of Clarence councillors had used their phones inappropriately.
“There’s been examples of individuals watching the footy and Married At First Sight on their phones,” she said.
“The other example was someone writing a media release during the meeting after a confrontation.
“These were official public meetings, not a workshop.
“We found out because he accidentally turned the sound on.”
Ms Warren said it was more professional to avoid phone use during meetings.
“I understand why it’s sometimes necessary to have your phone if you want to check information or if you’re expecting an urgent call,” Ms Warren said.
“But honestly it’s like boys passing notes in the background and I hate being made to feel like the teacher.
“It’s difficult to contrite on a meeting when someone is watching the football next to you.”
Ms Warren didn’t believe they should be banned altogether.
“In a grown up world, we could all agree not to use our phones in meetings, I’ve tried that approach and been met with resistance.
“I don’t believe in waving a big stick, I just think people need to think seriously if they are doing the best job they can.”
Hobart Alderman calls for referendum on cable car
A Hobart city Alderman said he’s not convinced the cable car vote on Tuesday is reflective of what the majority of Tasmanians think, calling for a statewide referendum on the issue.
Marti Zucco said he wasn’t surprised when the council acting as planning authority voted to accept a recommendation to refuse the development application because he believed many councillors had made up their minds ahead of the meeting.
“Here we are going through a process of having 15 people make representations as a planning authority,” Mr Zucco said.
“We go through a process and yet five members had pre-written and typed out speeches in respect of their decision.
“If someone’s got a preconceived position on something, that would no doubt influence their decision.”
Mr Zucco, who was one of three Alderman to vote in favour of the DA, said it would make the planning process questionable.
“The whole intent of the planning process is to listen to these people making submissions,” he said.
“This is one of the reasons why planning should be taken away from the political arm of councils because politics plays a role in decision making.
Mr Zucco said all Tasmanians should have a say.
“The simple and best solution to all this would be to have a Tasmanian referendum once and for all on the cable car across the state,” Mr Zucco said.
“I think that will shut down this 100 year debate once and for all.
“To me it would be for the best interests of all Tasmanians to determine once and for all whether they support this project.”
Mr Zucco defended the cost of such a vote.
“Yes it’s costly, but we’ve had a costly exercise over 100 years.”
“Where is it going to go from here, it’s going to cost the Hobart city more money to defend this from the tribunal.”
He said he would support the outcome.
“If the Tasmania public at a referendum vote said they do not want to see a cable car, I would abide by that decision,” Mr Zucco said.
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