TORONTO Foreshore Protection Group said it was afforded no favours when Lake Macquarie Council forced it to wait two hours before the group’s petition could be tabled at the council meeting on Monday night.
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TFPG collected more than 5000 signatures on the petition which calls for council to scrap its plans to develop a tourism and residential building on council-owned lakefront land in Toronto.
TFPG spokesperson Suzanne Pritchard said a “full gallery of Toronto supporters” had to wait two hours to witness the tabling.
The petition was listed late in the agenda, but when Cr Wendy Harrison tried to have the matter brought forward, the move was not supported.
A spokesperson for the council said councillors considered the procedural motion raised by Cr Harrison and, in accordance with council’s Code of Meeting Practice, “the mayor put that motion to council and it was not supported”.
TFPG was further miffed when Cr Harrison was prevented from speaking about the petition. Council said stopping Cr Harrison from speaking at that time was appropriate and in keeping with the Code of Meeting Practice and the Local Government Act.
“Petitions can only be tabled and not debated,” the spokesperson said.
Ms Pritchard was unimpressed.
“One has to wonder why the elected representatives would choose to show such little respect for those that have made the time to be active citizens,” she said.
TFPG members said the meeting was adjourned once they started to voice their disapproval in the chamber of the way proceedings were playing out.
Council’s spokesperson said the adjournment had been scheduled.
“The mayor regularly adjourns the council meeting between 1.5 to 2 hours, to allow councillors and staff an opportunity to have a short break, or to allow members of the gallery to leave following their item of interest,” the spokesperson said.
Ms Pritchard said the councillors’ decision not to support the motion to bring the petition matter forward in the agenda was confusing.
“They [councillors] did however support changing the order of the agenda later in the meeting when a confidential matter needed to be discussed. The double standard was not lost on those present,” Ms Pritchard said.
On Tuesday, Cr Fraser told the Lakes Mail:
“Council welcomes the petition that was tabled last night. I appreciate that there is a range of views within the community about the proposed Bath Street development and acknowledge the concerns put forward by those who signed the petition.
“I am confident that as councillors and staff continue to work together, combined with future community consultation, it will result in the best outcome for the community.”
