Police called as councillor ordered out

By Glen Atwell
POLICE were called to the Casey council meeting on Tuesday night after a fiery standoff between the mayor Janet Halsall and councillor Paul Richardson.
Cr Richardson was ordered out of the meeting after he refused to come to order following a failed attempt to call a division of the council.
Cr Halsall repeatedly warned Cr Richardson to take his seat but the Four Oaks councillor was undeterred and labelled the mayor a ‘dictator’ before he was ordered out of the chambers for the remainder of the meeting.
When Cr Richardson refused to leave, the meeting was adjourned and police were called.
“I am not leaving this council meeting, you can call the police, I don’t care, I’m not leaving the chambers,” Cr Richardson said at the time.
But 10 minutes into the adjournment, Cr Richardson, who was sweating profusely, left the chambers of his own accord.
On Wednesday morning, Cr Richardson sent a letter to Richard Wynne, the State Minister for Local Government, requesting the immediate sacking of the Casey chief executive Mike Tyler and the mayor, Cr Halsall.
The incident on Tuesday night occurred just 45 minutes into the meeting, which eventually ran for four hours.
Cr Rob Wilson said the mayor did not recognise Cr Richardson’s calls for a division because he requested them too often.
“Cr Richardson is calling a division correctly, but he is calling them so often that it is causing a nuisance,” he said.
“But agree or disagree, and regardless of whether or not Cr Halsall finds them annoying, the mayor must respect a call for a division.”
A division can be called by a councillor after a vote has been taken, and records which councillors voted for or against a recommendation or motion.
The process of calling a division usually takes about 20 seconds.
Cr Richardson said Casey council could not continue operating with Cr Halsall and Mr Tyler in power.
“The mayor intentionally failed to recognise my call for a division and it happens every meeting. I’ve had enough,” he said.
“In recent meetings, Cr Wilson and Cr Bradford have both been sent from the chambers but I’m not going to let the harassment and victimisation be directed at me.”
“The mayor and the CEO must be immediately sacked,” Cr Richardson said.