By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Casey mayor Sam Aziz has launched a covert surveillance operation in the exclusive Berwick Springs estate to catch those erecting placards protesting against a controversial roundabout project.
In a further heated step, the council has threatened defamation action against administrators of Berwick Springs Residents Group Facebook site over a post about Cr Aziz on the issue.
At the 7 March council meeting, Cr Aziz also shut down six of nine questions on the issue – including requests for him to resign – during public question time.
“I’m not going to allow this council chamber to be turned into a circus,” Cr Aziz declared.
The council’s covert officers and cameras would be mounted in a bid to prosecute and make an example of a “handful” of offenders who were erecting the signs, he later told Star News.
Casey had been collecting and impounding the “illegal” and “misleading” protest signs on public land, at the cost of diverting resources from its graffiti and illegal rubbish dumping crackdown, he said.
“I won’t have anarchy in the City of Casey.
“We won’t waste ratepayers’ resources from chasing graffiti vandals and illegal rubbish dumpers.”
Cr Aziz said that protesting residents, who complained that the project would destroy the estate and its property values, were turning their neighbourhood into a “shanty town” with their signs.
Cr Aziz said that protesting residents, who complained that the project would destroy the estate and its property values, were turning their streets into a “shanty town” with their signs.
He labelled them a “childish rabble” with a “nonsensical political agenda”.
Cr Aziz said if the project went ahead, there would be improved traffic flows and a restored gateway.
Berwick Springs residents have protested against the roundabout’s proposed site at Berwick Springs Promenade and Greaves Road due to the demolition of the estate’s landscaped, bluestone-wall gateway.
Resident spokesman Michael Ball said all current placards were posted on private land since residents had removed a protest sign at the intersection at the council’s request.
He said the council had requested a placard on private land to be removed due to its size.
“We believe it’s actually smaller than the usual board size.
“As long as it’s on private property, you can do what you like.”
Mr Ball said the Facebook site administrators removed its sharing of the alleged defamatory post by ‘William Wong’ but hadn’t taken it down from the visitor post section.
“People are making comments on our page and we don’t necessarily condone their language or sentiments, but they have the right to express their feelings.
“We’re not going to start censoring people.”
Mr Ball said the shutting-down of public question time denied residents their only forum to ask questions.
