Newcastle Councillor, Allan Robinson is refusing to take a backward step over explosive media interviews in recent days, containing expletive-ridden and derogatory comments.
The issue has escalated to state parliament, but growing despite calls for his resignation, the Councillor says he’s not going anywhere.
VIDEO BELOW
Statement from Newcastle Independents:
“Labor’s latest confected outrage is simply a desperate attempt to cover up a serious
local issue involving their Lord Mayor.
They will do almost anything to eliminate scrutiny of the Lord Mayor’s $50,000 airport
board appointment; she voted herself onto this Board, and is taking the money for
herself in a blatant act of self-interest that is typical of Labor. Contrast this with the
Port Stephens Mayor, who is donating his board fees to the community.
Previously the airport board had resisted political appointments. What changed their
mind?
While it may be appropriate for the Lord Mayor to sit on the board, she is already
paid a $125,000 plus allowance to serve the city. It is double dipping to be paid the
board fees when she is already being paid by Newcastle City Council.
Labor MP Tim Crackanthorp (sic) and Labor councillors were outraged by Cr Robinson’s
comments, but the extreme left of the Labor Party is only outraged when it suits
them.
Why were Mr Crackanthorp, the Mayor and Labor Councillors silent when Cr Church
was the subject of abuse at the Council’s Strategic Planning Session in February this year?
And why were Mr Crackanthorp and Labor councillors also silent when the
Lord Mayor described Cr Kath Elliott as a “dead carcass swinging in the breeze
waiting to be cut down”?
The Newcastle Independents do not endorse hate speech by anyone at anytime – can Labor say the same?
The Labor Party has shown time and time and time again that they are committed to
lining their own pockets at other peoples’ expense.
This latest episode of trying to distract the people of Newcastle from a very serious issue in the form of confected outrage is the lowest form of politics.
The people of Newcastle deserve better.”
Cr Andrea Rufo
Cr Kath Elliott
Cr John Church
Cr Allan Robinson
Statement from Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes.
“The behaviour displayed by this Councillor is nothing more than consistent workplace bullying.
This bullying commenced almost immediately after my election as Lord Mayor in 2014, and is a very unfortunate part of the role. Such behaviour would simply not be tolerated in any other workplace.
By virtue of my job there is an expectation that I have to accept this kind of disgraceful bullying, and know that the bully will likely be rewarded by positive attention for his ‘controversial’ language.
It’s a basic rinse and repeat political strategy that favours the down in the dirt political strategies employed by these opposition councillors.
While I sit there and am abused, I think of the famous Michelle Obama words … ‘When they go low, We go high’.
I try to ignore it but ultimately it does affect you personally and professionally.”
