PROTESTERS' actions at the first meeting of a newly merged Sydney council have been slammed as disgusting and disrespectful by Bathurst mayor Gary Rush and Bathurst MP Paul Toole.
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The local and state government representatives joined forces in their disgust over the ugly turn of events at the newly-created Inner West Council in Sydney.
At the meeting on Tuesday night, the council’s new administrator Richard Pearson was spat on by a woman, and twice had documents pushed out of his hands by other protesters.
This week Oberon and Cabonne councils are making a last stand against forced amalgamations in the Land and Environment Court.
Oberon has vehemently opposed a proposed merger with Bathurst Regional Council, as has Cabonne with Orange City Council.
Mr Toole said he had been disgusted by the actions of protesters at the Inner West Council meeting.
“People have a right to protest but these kinds of actions, this sort of intimidation, are just not appropriate in any form,” he said.
“Police were called – it’s just a terrible waste of resources.”
Cr Rush echoed those comments.
“I’m appalled and shocked at that sort of behaviour ... It’s not the sort of behaviour any of us would support,” he said.
“To think that people would resort to such a demonstration of poor behaviour and disrespect for one another.”
With Oberon’s anti-merger case still before the court late yesterday, Cr Rush said he was mindful that if the merger does go ahead some people will be “bitterly disappointed”.
“There will be some [people] who continue to maintain the support of Oberon standing alone as a council, and therefore if the merger were to occur then they would be disappointed as a result,” he said.
Cr Rush added that if the merger occurs, he does not expect a repeat of the Inner West Council protesters’ behaviour here.
“I doubt very much that the people of this region, within Bathurst or Oberon, would ever conduct themselves in that manner,” he said.
Eight of the nine Bathurst councillors have indicated they are willing to represent the community between any merger and next year’s local government election.
“At the end of the day it is about delivering up quality infrastructure, service and amenity,” Cr Rush said.