The mayor has said his colleagues need to show respect to one another after one of the longest and most heated council meetings in years saw several instances in which councillors appeared to cause personal offence. 

Councillor Rod Fyffe said Wednesday night’s City of Greater Bendigo meeting was one of the longest in his 31-year tenure in local government. 

He said it was also one of the most important in the four-year term of the current council, that ends later this year, which he said led to some “impassioned debate”. 

“There were a number of major items on the agenda – the budget, council plan, organic waste tender, the Big Hill [protection plan], the Marong Business Park – and that meant people wanted to have their say and that’s terrific, we need a variety of views,” Cr Fyffe said.

“We need to be prepared to speak up and we need to listen to them and take that on board in the decisions we make … and I think we did that. 

“But we do need to listen to other councillors and take on board what they are saying, whether we’re passionate or not the reality is we have a duty to listen to other councillors and we do need to show respect and not let that passion go too far.” 

One of the most obvious examples of personal offence and spats over protocol occurred when a number of councillors jostled to speak first on the divisive issue of the Marong Business Park. Councillor Rod Campbell – who is wheelchair bound – rebuked councillor Helen Leach’s persistent attempts to open the account based on the fact she was standing first

“I’ll just draw attention to the fact I’m unable to stand Cr Leach, thank you,” Cr Campbell said.  

In closing his argument for the business park, councillor Peter Cox also drew interjections from both Cr Leach and councillor Lisa Ruffell after accusing them of “false information” and not understanding the issue, respectively. 

“There has been no talk about council spending $1 million let alone $100 million and false information doesn’t go well when you’re trying to make a point,” Cr Cox said. 

“[And] for a councillor to say that east Bendigo is the future for industrial areas for the next 30 years hasn’t obviously read the report.”

The Whipstick Ward councillor was censured by an independent panel for bullying Cr Leach and councillor Elise Chapman in March. 

That panel found there was “strong feelings of mutual dislike” between the parties. 

Councillors will have a week’s holiday to cool off after Wednesday’s five-hour meeting.