A very brief report on tonight’s marathon council meeting. It will go down in history as the lowest point ever reached by this council. What occurred was embarrassing for all concerned as well as uncalled for in our view. Following numerous cautions from Pilling and points of order from Lipshutz and Hyams concerning comments made by Lobo, Pilling resorted to Section 244 of the Local Law and asked Lobo to remove himself from the chamber. The clause states –

The Chairperson may ask any Authorised Officer or police officer to remove any person from a room in which a meeting of Council or a Special Committee is being held, if the Chairperson determines that the person is behaving in an improper or disorderly manner and so interrupting the orderly and lawful process of the meeting

Lobo refused and insisted that the police be called. The meeting dissolved into a shambles and was adjourned. Whether police were actually called we do not know since after 5 minutes of mayhem, allegations, and general confusion, Lobo left the chamber. The meeting then resumed.

We will report on this in full so that readers can judge for themselves what kind of governance and bullying exists in Glen Eira and how dysfunctional this council really is!