In truth, the three-hour long meeting was all that and more.

Threats of ICAC and Local Government investigations, two unsuccessful votes of no confidence, countless points of order, accusations of political harassment, ongoing heckling and abrupt interjections made for a chaotic night.

The running stoush between Mayor Bruce MacKenzie and the hecklers among the 100-plus attendees, many dressed in their green ‘Save Our Boomerang Park’ t-shirts or carrying placards protesting the sand mine lease, came to a head with the ejection of Medowie resident John Donahoo, forcing a 15-minute adjournment and a threat of police intervention.

Prior to the meeting an application from Mr Donahoo to address councillors on the Medowie sawmill development application had been rejected by the mayor.

Bizarrely, the meeting opened with a public apology from deputy mayor Steve Tucker for inappropriate remarks made against fellow councillor Peter Kafer during the state election campaign.

Cr Kafer, who suffers from depression and brandishing his pile of medication, accepted the apology. Later in the meeting Cr Kafer and fellow West Ward councillor Ken Jordan squabbled over whether or not Cr Jordan had ever met an ice addict.

Cr Jordan, who was clearly frustrated with the continual heckling from the gallery, had left the room later in the night after declaring a pecuniary interest and failed to return.

State Member Kate Washington, who was among the throng of onlookers, described the scenes as ‘‘timely’’ and ‘‘a tipping point’’.

‘‘Tonight we had the vocal majority express their frustration with the lack of transparency and accountability of this council,’’ Ms Washington said later.

She called on the Minister for Local Government to investigate a number of decisions during the current term of council which have infuriated the public.

Earlier, Cr MacKenzie had threatened to go to the same minister to investigate the ‘‘harassment of the [log processing] applicant’’, a threat welcomed by political opponents councillors Kafer and Geoff Dingle.

Time and again the two ‘‘independent’’ councillors debated against the three major issues, but each time they were defeated six votes to two. [Councillors John Nell and John Morello were absent].

The development application for a log processing works at 30 Ferodale Road, Medowie, was approved with a number of amended conditions in regard to landscaping, noise abatement and size limit. Kafer and Dingle were the lone opponents.

Despite passionate pleas by Kafer and Dingle, who lamented the loss of 21 per cent [4.5 hectares] of ‘‘the lungs of Raymond Terrace’’ to housing, the rezoning of Boomerang Park was given the green light. The development, however, is far from over the line and would require state planning approval and further public scrutiny.

Finally, the sandmining lease for 398 Cabbage Tree Road at Williamtown was transferred from the original tender Castle Quarry Product, which has connections to the Nathan Tinkler owned Buildev group, to a newly registered company known as Williamtown Sand Syndicate.

Again, the calls by Kafer and Dingle to abort the new agreement and go back to tender fell on deaf ears.