Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett has called on councillors to focus on their elected responsibilities, saying a preliminary assessment of a bullying complaint required no further action.
In a statement following Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Mayor said everyone, including councillors, staff and members of the public deserved to feel safe and respected.
“Robust discussion, differing opinions and challenging each other’s ideas are all part of democracy and effective governance,” she said.
“But disagreement must never become an excuse to abandon respect.”
The Mayor said the appropriate complaint process had been followed in the matter she addressed.
“In this instance, that process was followed, a preliminary assessment was completed, and no further action was required.”
The statement did not identify the complaint, those involved, who conducted the assessment or the reasons for its outcome.
A decision to take no further action at preliminary assessment does not, by itself, establish that an allegation was false. The assessment’s reasons would be needed to explain precisely what was determined.
The Mayor argued that where allegations had been aired publicly, the outcome should also be acknowledged publicly.
“Individual reputations matter,” she said.
She said repeatedly discussing allegations after the appropriate process had concluded could cause further stress and reputational damage, while adding little to the community’s needs.
However, the statement comes against a broader backdrop of concern about psychological safety at Council.
Council is reportedly subject to a work health and safety improvement notice. The Gazette has not independently verified the notice, its scope, compliance deadline or current status, and it is not established whether it concerns the complaint discussed by the Mayor.
SafeWork NSW describes an improvement notice as requiring a safety issue to be addressed within a specified period. Such a notice is distinct from a determination about an individual councillor’s conduct.
The Gazette has previously reported SafeWork NSW’s involvement in examining allegations of councillor-on-councillor bullying. That wider workplace safety issue should not be treated as resolved solely because a particular complaint did not proceed beyond preliminary assessment.
Clarification of the reported notice would help residents understand what improvements, if any, Council has been required to make and how those requirements relate to its complaint-handling processes.
The Mayor also defended the need for confidentiality in some aspects of councillors’ work, saying transparency and accountability did not require everything to be placed on public display.
She urged councillors to accept responsibility for their actions, decisions and behaviour, while avoiding claims without a sound factual basis.
“Our community deserves Councillors who focus on doing the job,” she said.
The Mayor concluded by committing to respectful and constructive leadership in the Hawkesbury’s interests.
“I intend to lead a group of civic leaders where we act respectfully, constructively and in the best interests of the Hawkesbury.”
