By Ethan Benedicto
Casey’s northern councillors have weighed in on the city’s first council meeting of the year, reflecting on the residents’ sentiments and the series of events that followed.
Grevillea Ward councillor Dave Perry said that when the meeting initially began, and the gallery booed both the Acknowledgement of Country and the diversity statement, it was “painful to listen to”.
As the gallery dictated the tone of the meeting, Perry said that he and the other councillors “heard that the residents were frustrated with the local laws”.
“I left the meeting realising that, you know, the people felt powerless and unheard.
“But for us councillors, we have no prior experience of local laws, we’ve been discussing them only in the past four weeks or so.
“I think the only thing we could do is to separate a community meeting for these topics if everyone else is in agreement,” he said.
Perry added that the concerns surrounding the Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station tip were “completely legitimate”, and that there was some form of “misunderstanding” when it came to local law and its specifics.
“We need to iron that out because I think there’s some miscommunication there and if we need to review the laws, then I’d be happy to do it,” he said.
“But there seems to be a misunderstanding on how these local laws work, because anything that we do to the local laws, it has to take into account amenity and lifestyle for all residents.”
Akoonah Ward councillor, Scott Dowling, his initial thought was that he and the others were happy with the attendance of such a large crowd.
However, “once things started getting heated, it was difficult to contain it”.
“It was a bit of a shock, but going forward we realised that we’ve got to take the community in its stride as well as ours, to try and work with it as best we can.
“Going forward all the decisions at the comment that the people are upset about were made previous to us being here, and we’re trying to address these decisions that were made without our input,” he said.
Dowling further emphasised that decisions or legislations that apply directly to the people of Casey will have the current council’s “influence” behind them, which also means the influence of the people.
“We have the ear of the people and we’ll be addressing the laws and whatever it is that we need to do, and with the best interest of the community at heart,” he said.
As a whole, Dowling reflected that the council itself is in the process of finding solid footing, establishing themselves in the community and easing themselves into their positions as pillars of the community.
With time passing, he said, “we’re getting more confident and aware of the public aspect of what needs to be addressed”.
“So we’re considering that at great length and negotiating the best way forward as far as being the voice of the people,” he said.
In addition to her initial comments made last week, Casuarina Ward councillor Kim Ross released an official statement on Facebook on 21 February, writing that “anger is a powerful emotion”.
“It tells you that something doesn’t feel right or fair, (but) it’s what you do with your anger that counts.
“Constructive anger is directed towards working through a problem, not attacking people; I will never condone abuse that comes from anger channelled into hatred,” she said.
Similar to Mayor Koomen’s comments, Ross said that the gallery during the meeting was “not a safe space”, and extended her apologies to those who attended to observe a “democratically elected council doing their best to govern for residents”.
Likewise, she also added that the frustrations of the people and their voices have been heard, and, as a fellow resident, she too “share many of your (their) frustrations”.
Casey’s Deputy Mayor, Melinda Ambros, released a statement the day after the meeting, on 19 February, with a key message stating that “I don’t stand in front of you, I stand next to you”.
“I know that trust isn’t given overnight, it’s built through action, consistency, and a commitment to listening.
“This isn’t about politics, it’s about people, it’s about us,” she said.
Ambros also added that she will continue to put work into establishing a strong connection with not just her ward’s constituents, but also the people of the city.
Much like the other councillors, she too encouraged those with concerns to reach out and to speak about it directly, allowing space for a balanced conversation.
Dillwynia Ward councillor Anthony Walter was contacted for a comment but has yet to reply.
This story is developing, and more will come once details are available.
