But when the votes don't fall your way - walking out is a poor look indeed.
THE division in Bendigo council is nothing new but it's certainly a poor look for the city.
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The last thing we need is a council drawing attention to the city for its conduct coming so soon after the damage done to Bendigo's image by the very public mosque debate.
Councillors have every right to research, form opinions and stand strongly behind them.
That's exactly how most ratepayers would want the city's councillors to act.
But when the votes don't fall your way - walking out is a poor look indeed.
It's not the image individual councillors should want and does little to enhance the standing of the overall council.
Things only got worse on Thursday as councillors traded verbal jabs to justify their positions on the walk out.
The ultimate responsibility for the council sits with the mayor and his must always be the final word.
Anyone who stood and watched the councillors rise one after the other to welcome Barry Lyons at his induction would be a little miffed.
Councillors welcomed Cr Lyons' declaration, at his induction, that he would rule firmly but fairly and declared they were looking forward to the months ahead given the opportunities before council and the progress that could be made.
So was that just fluff words or do they have very short memories?