By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Jonty Ralphsmith
A “humiliated” Greater Dandenong former councillor Maria Sampey has demanded a public apology after a chaotic dispute during a council meeting.
The 26 April meeting stopped for an extraordinary 40 minutes over whether to eject Ms Sampey from the public gallery due to an interim intervention order taken out by Cr Angela Long.
Mayor Jim Memeti declared there was a “legal matter” and halted proceedings soon after Ms Sampey entered the chambers.
Then ensued tense argument between council chief executive John Bennie, councillors and Ms Sampey.
At one stage Ms Sampey remained defiantly seated as security guards were called to evict her
“This is a public place, I’m allowed to be here,” she was heard to say.
After conflicting advice from lawyers, the council conceded she was in the right.
Ms Sampey later told Star Journal that she was “treated like a criminal” when the council closed the chamber and “got the security guards on to me”.
“I thought I’d better call the police so they can explain what’s going on.
“It was not professionally handled. They had plenty of time to get their facts right.
“I want a written apology. They need to apologise for causing me utter stress that night.
“You don’t treat people like that. I was treated as a criminal.”
Gallery spectator and witness Earle Misso said the council should have discreetly taken the matter into a private room rather than kicking the public out.
“I think given the fact she has been a councillor for 22 years, they treated her badly. Treat her with a bit of respect.”
At the heart of the dispute was an alleged ban on Ms Sampey being within 200 metres of Cr Long.
However Ms Sampey insisted that under the interim order, she was allowed to be in the vicinity but required to not speak to the councillor.
At first Cr Long’s solicitor – on speaker phone in the closed chambers – reportedly insisted there was an exclusion zone.
But they later conceded in favour of Ms Sampey, who was then allowed to stay at the meeting.
On resumption, Cr Memeti told the meeting: “We apologise for the inconvenience. Council had to sort out a legal matter.”
Cr Angela Long told Star Journal that she called her lawyer during the meeting after the intervention order conditions were challenged.
She declined to give further comment.
Cr Long and Ms Sampey have been long at loggerheads during their time as councillors.
A legal contest over the interim intervention order is scheduled at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in September.
Council chief executive John Bennie said all members in the public gallery – including Ms Sampey – were asked to leave during the “appropriate” adjournment to consider a “legal matter that was presented unexpectedly”.
“The discussion councillors had during this time was to determine the validity, currency and accuracy of the information that was brought to Council’s attention, some details of which were presented to Council for the first time.
“The legal facts were determined and understood by all councillors as quickly as possible, and then all members of the public gallery, including Maria Sampey, were invited to return to the gallery to resume the council meeting.”
Mr Bennie said the council was not privy to the details of the legal order “as this is a private matter for both parties to share if they deem appropriate”.
Further to Ms Sampey’s frustration, she was barred from asking two questions during public question time due to submitting them too late.
Cr Tim Dark later read out her questions on her behalf.
