THE Australia Day committee that was publicly ousted at a council meeting earlier this month caused a ruckus in the chambers on Tuesday night, after a written request for public access was denied.
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Ex-Raymond Terrace Australia Day committee chairwoman Glenys Francis was escorted from the council meeting last night by a security guard while attempting to address councillors.
Wearing an Australian Flag cap and flanked by two supporters, Mrs Francis approached the dispatch box and began reading from a speech she had distributed to the public gallery before the meeting began.
She said she had been proud to represent the council and the community.
The majority of councillors, led by mayor Bruce MacKenzie, walked out while Mrs Francis spoke.
She told the Examiner before the meeting that since the ousting, in which comments were made about herself and the committee, she had two requests for public access at Port Stephens Council denied.
Mrs Francis said despite the rejections she deserved to have their side of the story aired in the public arena.
"I intend to correct the inaccurate accusations that have been made . . . and set the record straight," she said before the meeting.
Mrs Francis said her first request for access on Tuesday, March 5 was denied because it was a postponed meeting that did not fall on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month - the scheduled times for public access. The second request to speak at Tuesday's meeting was also denied, this time in writing by the mayor who stated in a letter that "this issue has been addressed by council on 5 March 2013".
Mayor Bruce MacKenzie was asked by the Examiner to provide further comment on his position but did not respond in time.
Mrs Francis said she and other members of the committee felt the process was un-democratic and would have a negative effect on other volunteer organisations within the community.
"People have come up to me and said "we are too frightened to say anything . . . if they [some councillors] see me there there they'll hate me"," she said.
Councillor Geoff Dingle weighed into the debate and said he too believed the process was damaging the council's relationships with community groups.
"I'm upset about the flow-on effect . . . the collateral damage" Cr Dingle said.
"It damages all volunteer groups."
