Tonight’s council meeting was packed to the rafters with residents – most were concerned with Skyrail. A petition was submitted and this engendered an hour’s discussion where councillors voted unanimously to accept the petition, and seek a public forum. Full details will follow tomorrow. However, the following need highlighting:

  • Disagreement amongst councillors as to whether or not they were briefed by LXRA on the possibility of skyrail well before the official announcement. Acrimonious exchanges between Okotel and Delahunty and overall lapses of memory from Pilling and others.
  • Political grandstanding all round – ie quite stunning how ‘consultation’ is so important to these councillors now, but not when it comes to most things in Glen Eira like the introduction of the zones!
  • Lobo officially ‘censured’ with motion moved by Pilling and Okotel to feature on website and all major dailies and the Leader. Labelled a ‘racist’, ‘bigot’, and much more. Lobo was absent from the meeting.
  • Delahunty motion for public forum on security defeated. Voting against – Lipshutz, Hyams, Esakoff, Pilling, Okotel.
  • 161 public questions submitted. Only 15 ‘representative’ questions read out and answered.
  • New CEO in attendance. Introduced but made no comments.