The incident unfolded at the same night council considered a return to live broadcasting its meetings.

Boat Harbour man Warren Cunningham had five minutes to address the council about the installation of a basketball hoop at his back fence in addition to established tennis facilities. Visibly agitated he told the council his property value had dropped an estimated $80,000 where the public facilities encroached on his property.

“I returned tennis balls for a year before I gave up,” he said.

At this point Cunningham produced two tennis balls.

He then began to relay a conversation he’d had with general manager Wayne Wallis.

“When I asked you what would happen when a tennis ball hit a child in the face you said nothing,” Mr Cunningham said.

At this point he held the ball high. Members of the public gallery gasped as he lobbed the ball toward Mr Wallis. The ball missed its mark and the mayor Bruce MacKenzie called time.

Mr Cunningham then walked toward the chamber doors but with the encouragement of the gallery he took a seat for the remainder of the council meeting.

A security guard was called to watch over the meeting but was not required to remove any person.

Prior to the meeting Cr Peter Kafer asked council to reintroduce the live broadcast and time was allocated to weigh up the benefit.

“This is about transparency and we’ve got nothing to hide,” he said.

Cr Steve Tucker supported the webcast’s introduction in 2011 but feared he and other could be sued without the parliamentary privilege other politicians enjoy.

“I know that developers in the past have said ‘I’ll get the tape and have a [legal] go at that councillor’,” he said.

The motion was defeated. Cr Kafer said he had only “tried to do the right thing” and left mid-meeting.