Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery has labelled claims of bullying from Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes as false and misleading.
Ms Hornery and Newcastle Labor councillors have been at odds over the awarding of a management contract for the City’s five inland pools.
The Member for Wallsend spoke in the Parliament this week, calling on the Council to rule out further privatisation, before the Lord Mayor aired claims of relentless bullying from an unnamed politician over the issue and along with her six Labor colleagues abstained from voting – citing a conflict of interest.
With those six councillors abstaining from voting earlier this week, those that remained to vote on whether or not Council should issue a management contract externally for the pools couldn’t form a quorum so the responsibility of making the decision was delegated to Council CEO Jeremy Bath.
At the meeting, Ms Nelmes claims she has been instructed on how to vote which is something Sonia Hornery has now rejected, instead labeling it as advocacy on behalf of her constituents.
“I viewed Tuesday night’s City of Newcastle, Ordinary Council Meeting with great disappointment,” Ms Hornery said in a statement yesterday.
“The Lord Mayor and Councillors frequently lobby me to advocate for projects and funding and yet I do not hide from my democratic responsibilities or shirk my duties as an elected official. It is imperative as leaders and representatives in our community that we embrace our democratic system and advocate for better outcomes in our community, indeed, where appropriate we should listen to the advocacy of others.
“I’ve always stood up for Newcastle Pools and always will. Just as I’ve always stood up for our community and always will. The privatisation of our pools is an issue that many people raise with me, and I share their concerns.
“Privatisation never leads to better outcomes for the community. I have always stood against privatisation across all levels of government. I have done so at great personal sacrifice to my career, having resigned as Parliamentary Secretary in 2009 in protest against an ongoing privatisation agenda.
“I will not be pressured to advocate any less for my community by anyone from any level of politics.”