2NM interview: Denied entry to Council meeting

THIS week I was denied entry to the February Council meeting. It’s a big call in a democratic country, where we have federal laws to support elected representatives participating in the political process to be denied entry to a meeting, and never one that should be taken lightly. While Council cite their Meeting Code of Conduct for excluding me, a Meeting Code of Practice is not law. When denying entry one must weigh the federal and state laws supporting participation against a Meeting Code of Practice which may preclude participation. An interesting choice was made, and not one I’d like to have to justify.

This is the interview I had with 2NM earlier this week:

All of the above are my perspectives, opinions and beliefs as a Councillor on the Upper Hunter Shire Council, are my own, which may not (in fact probably don’t) reflect Council’s position, but which as an elected representative I am supported in law to freely express.