Debate Denied: Climate Motion Shut Down at Council Meeting

Tensions flared at Tuesday night’s Mornington Peninsula Shire Council meeting, where security was heightened, attendance restricted, and a motion on climate change was blocked from being debated.

Despite restrictions limiting public attendance, around 100 people gathered in and around the council chambers to protest what they say is a pattern of silencing community voices.

The situation escalated when Mayor Anthony Marsh issued a stern warning to the gallery after repeated objections from the floor.

“If you continue to object, we’ll adjourn the meeting and then we’ll stay adjourned until you leave. That’s it,” Marsh said, threatening to suspend proceedings until dissenters left the chamber.

The controversy intensified when Councillor David Gill attempted to move a motion addressing climate change. However, Mayor Marsh ruled the motion out of order before it could be debated.

“I see this motion as effectively a revocation motion that hasn’t followed the Governments’s Rules under Clause 22,” Marsh stated.

“As such, I’ve not accepted the motion to be tabled in accordance with Rule 16, Sub-Clause 1Bi. That decision is supported by internal and external governance advice.”

Councillor Gill challenged the ruling, but Marsh maintained that his interpretation of the rules stood, citing guidance that a dissent motion was not applicable in this context.

The decision sparked frustration from both councillors and community members, with some questioning whether procedural rules are being used to suppress discussion on critical issues.

While the motion was about climate change, STPL News poses a broader question to readers:

Regardless of where you stand on climate change, is it democratic — even at the local government level — to shut down debate before it even starts?