In a session closed to the public, the council accepted a supplementary code of conduct report on Tuesday night and re-affirmed its October decision to sanction Cr Dingle. 

Moved by Cr Ken Jordan and seconded by Cr Chris Doohan, the council also resolved to forward the supplementary report to the office of local government.

Earlier that night, the council had discussed whether to discuss the matter in open council – against previous advice from the council’s governance officer.

Port Stephens councillor Peter Kafer took the opportunity to argue it had “already dragged on for too long”.

He urged the council to put the code of conduct to rest.

“This has become a kangaroo court,” Cr Kafer said.

“The investigators of these matters are paralegals – at best – we shouldn’t be making decisions like this.

“We’re not a court of law. There’s a real need for legislative change  to address it.”

The code of conduct against Cr Dingle began in 2015 when it was alleged he took photos of children on a Medowie property.

Port Stephens Council placed sanctions on Cr Dingle last year but he’s received advice from the Office of Local Government that the report was flawed and that the findings “should be ignored”. 

He’s previously said the code of conduct process “is a hammer”.

A supplementary report was brought to the meeting on Tuesday when Cr Dingle asked for it not to be dealt with in a session closed to the public. But the motion was ultimately defeated.

“It is critical this matter be discussed in a public forum as I believe the politically nasty and vexatious nature of this matter will encourage further poor decisions, made behind closed doors, damaging the reputation of Port Stephens Council and the complainant, not the whistle-blower,” he said.

“When I originally approached the general manager [Wayne Wallis] about the original complaint back in 2015 he said the complainants had been to the police.

“When asked well what was the outcome, in his words ‘they threw it out’.”

Cr Steve Tucker said discussing the matter in open council wouldn’t be any better.

“You’re only going to have two people shouting at each other and it doesn’t look good,” he said, referring to Cr Dingle and the mayor, Bruce MacKenzie.

“Whatever the outcome neither party is going to be happy.

“We’ve probably got more important things to discuss.”

Cr Nell said he was fed up.

“We don’t get to see any evidence and it leaves the councillors in a disgusting situation where we have to make a decision without any detail,” he said.

“The gallery should take pity on us more. I know nothing.”

Cr Kafer said the grudge match between Cr Dingle and Cr MacKenzie shouldn’t have dragged on so long.

“In the old days we’d just go outside and punch on,” he said.

“It would have been sorted out last year.”