Town of Victoria Park mayor Karen Vernon faces fiery public gallery

The Town of Victoria Park mayor has again been forced to rein in questions and statements from the public at a council meeting just weeks after police were called to eject a 75-year-old man.

Three people were asked to stop speaking at the October 17 meeting when Ms Vernon ruled their questions were not appropriate for the meeting or were “adverse reflections”.

It comes after three police officers ejected Sam Zammit and issued him with a move-on notice after a heated argument with Mayor Karen Vernon at a September 19 meeting.

Mr Zammit said he and other members of the public refused to stand during the acknowledgment of country at the start of that meeting and the conflict “escalated from there”.

Ms Vernon said she wanted to make it clear she called for Mr Zammit to be ejected over his remarks during public statement time, not his refusal to stand for the acknowledgment of country.

The council faced a grilling at an October 10 briefing session, which Ms Vernon was not at, over what happened at that meeting.

A resident said during public question time at the October 17 meeting the incident was “embarrassing”.

“At the last council meeting the mayor made statements that residents should be standing for welcome to country,” Lisa Hollands, from Victoria Park, said.

“As far as I can see this is not in the meeting procedure. If there is a provision that requires residents to stand, could you please provide the section?”

The question was taken on notice.

Ms Hollands said she was embarrassed by the council’s behaviour at the September 19 meeting, in particular calling the police on Mr Zammit.

“It was extremely disappointing to hear the live stream of the last meeting … and resultant action (Mr Zammit being thrown out) that occurred,” she said.

“I feel for the town to throw out a 75-year-old man and ban them from meetings … that was an overstretch.”

Ms Vernon asked Ms Hollands to refrain from making “adverse” statements about the council.

“Ms Hollands, you can stop your statement,” Ms Vernon said. “You’re beginning an adverse reflection about me as a presiding member.

“If you have a complaint about the manner over which I preside over meetings, make them in the proper channels.”

Vince Maxwell, who was one of the candidates challenging Ms Vernon to be mayor in last weekend’s local government elections, used public statement time to claim members of the council were “interfering” with his campaign.

“I tried to contact the CEO in relation to at least six members of his staff interfering with my election campaign,” he started before Ms Vernon quickly jumped in.

“The use of the words ‘interfering with the campaign’ is contrary to meeting rules,” Ms Vernon said.

“You should not bring that up in this council meeting. I’m not going to allow you to use council meetings to advance your own personal claims.”