Pair clash at

By Rebecca Fraser
A CASEY councillor said she felt shocked and physically threatened by another councillor during a recent incident at a council team building weekend.
Councillor Janet Halsall said her council colleague Paul Richardson became very heated when his point of view was not agreed with during a hypothetical role playing excercise.
“He shouted at all of us and when I asked him not to raise his voice he lost his temper and yelled at me in a threatening manner.
“He was so hostile that the facilitator had to intervene to bring the matter to a close.
“I was really shocked and felt physically threatened by Cr Richardson’s lack of control when debating a pretend scenario.
“The mayor immediately asked him to apologise to me, but Cr Richardson refused, so I went home in order to avoid any further unpleasantness,” she said.
Cr Halsall said her husband subsequently wrote a letter to the mayor Kevin Bradford and Casey CEO Mike Tyler expressing his disgust with Cr Richardson’s behaviour, and pointing out the effect it had upon herself and her family.
“There were in-camera discussions at council last week, after which Cr Richardson pointed at me and said ‘just you wait to next time’, which I found intimidating and threatening. Several other councillors also heard this comment and were appalled,” she said.
But Cr Richardson has hit back at claims and is adamant the matter has been “over exaggerated.”
Cr Richardson said the incident occurred during a role-play game but denied that he had any anger or aggression issues and said he wanted the issue put behind him.
“We did a role play exercise where you were lost at sea and the ship was sinking,” he said. “You had to get into a rubber raft and you could take 15 things with you.”
Cr Richardson said the issue then arose when Cr Halsall chose a mirror as part of her 15 items.
“The situation was that there was a choice of a mirror or food and I leaned over and spoke to Janet (Halsall) and said take the food or you will be killed or die,” he said.
During last Tuesday’s council meeting Cr Richardson was seen apologising to Cr Halsall, who was heard telling him that his apology was “three days late”.
The Four Oaks Ward councillor said there was “no way in hell” that he would take anger management classes. “I don’t think I am an aggressive person, no different to anyone else and I don’t believe I need to take anger management.”
This week Cr Bradford said he was unable to comment as he was bound by the council’s code of conduct and the Local Government Act.