NEWS DESK
âGood riddanceâ to political grudges Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A COMMENT on Facebook by a first-time Frankston councillor threatened to cause strife between Frankston Council councillors before newly elected councillors even met for the first time. Steve Toms, elected in South ward, posted a message on the Saturday evening of council elections day (22 October), before all votes were counted, saying âgood riddanceâ to Crs Rebekah Spelman and Michael OâReilly. âGood to see Sandra [Mayer] back on Council. Good to also have Brad Hill and Kris Bolam returning to represent us on Council,â Mr Tomsâ Facebook comment stated.
âGood riddance to Spellman [sic] and OâReilly.â Michael OâReilly was subsequently re-elected as a North-East ward councillor when results were announced by the Victorian Electoral Commission the next day. Brad Hill missed out on preferences in his bid to return to council after a four-year absence. Mr Toms, a Labor Party member, said he regretted the critical comment. âSometimes things are said in the heat of the moment and that certainly was said in the heat of the moment,â he said. âIâve some regret in making that comment and wonât be making any more comments of that nature.â Mr OâReilly, a Liberal Party member, said Mr Toms had called him to apologise for the online comment.
Critical comment: Steve Toms took to Facebook to slam Michael OâReilly.
âI accepted his apology and said no problem and we should start afresh,â Mr OâReilly said. âHe indicated that he made those comments before he had met me so thatâs why he made them.â âI told him that to dislike someone on a party political basis is one of the reasons the last council had a lot of trouble because people focused too much on
their party political views and sides.â Mr Toms apologised to Mr OâReilly after being asked about the Facebook comment by The Times. Mr OâReilly said he wants Frankston councillors to put petty political differences aside for the good of the community. âWhen it comes to party politics, I donât snipe or hold grudges against
people in opposing political parties. My brother [Sean OâReilly] is a [City of Greater Dandenong] councillor and a long-term member of the Labor Party but I do go to him for advice and heâs one of my best mates.â Mr Toms said he wanted council to unite in the best interests of Frankston and hoped his comment could be regarded as being âin the pastâ. âI donât see there being any problems between the two of us,â he said with regards to his future dealings with Mr OâReilly after the pair are sworn in as councillors. Former councillors Darrel Taylor and Suzette Tayler were forced last month to publicly apologise to fellow councillors for comments they made on Facebook about council matters after an independent arbitrator found they had breached councilâs councillor code of conduct.
Michael OâReilly
New crew
A MIX of newly elected and re-elected councillors will hope to steer the Frankston Council ship into calmer waters after a previous two years marred by stormy infighting between councillors. Glenn Aitken, left, Kris Bolam, Sandra Mayer, Steve Toms, Lillian OâConnor, Brian Cunial and Colin Hampton were all smiles last Wednesday (2 November) at the official declaration of council election results. Michael OâReilly and Quinn McCormack were unable to attend. All nine elected candidates will be sworn in as councillors by taking the oath of office at a public council meeting on Monday evening (7 November). Councillors will then vote at the meeting to elect a new mayor and deputy mayor for the first 12 months of the new four-year council term. See baysidenews.com.au for news on who councillors voted to be the municipalityâs civic leaders. Picture: Gary Sissons
Quinn McCormack
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Frankston Times 7 November 2016
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