MORE COVERAGE: Chapman ordered to apologise
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8pm: Updated periscope feed below.
8:17pm: The conduct panel has made a finding of misconduct against Cr Chapman. It finds she should be reprimanded and apologise. She says she will not apologise. Cr Chapman says she will ask for a review of the decision.
8:13pm: Motion to acknowledge decision of councillor conduct panel without appendices. There will be no debate.
7:22pm: Cr James Williams says Bendigo’s Indigenous history has been overlooked for too long.
7:20pm: Cr Leach argues against a Reconciliation Action Plan. She says she doesn’t believe there is discrimination against Indigenous people. She says giving a group “special privileges” will not create “harmony and unity”. Cr Chapman supports the implementation of the plan.
7:10pm: Plenty of fiery debate on this one and the motion is carried.
7:03pm: Cr Barry Lyons says he totally disagrees with Cr Leach and Cr Chapman. He says “we are all migrants to this country to some degree”.
7pm: Cr Elise Chapman argues to have the Bendigo Advertiser photographer cease taking photographs of her at the meeting. Cr Cox tells her it is a public meeting.
7pm: Cr Leach says encouraging people to retain their customs and languages will bring disharmony. She says Bendigo shouldn’t be ashamed of its white, Christian heritage. Cr Chapman also doesn’t support the plan.
6:50pm: Council is now discussing its Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Plan. It will select councillors to serve on a multicultural round table. Cr Helen Leach says the council doesn’t need a Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Plan as Bendigo is already an accepting community. She says such a plan would be “thought policing”.
6:48pm: Council votes to conduct a further review of Child Care in 2018-19.
6:45pm: Cr Helen Leach says if the council’s budget for childcare is slashed, other services should be cut also.
6:35pm: Provision of childcare is up for debate now. A decision was made to close the council-owned childcare facility late last year. Cr Rod Fyffe says the facility isn’t necessary any longer and only provides 13 per cent of childcare places across the city.
6:30pm: Cr Campbell sums up by saying that he isn’t anti-footpath, but this particular project isn’t a high priority. No footpath for Flora Hill.
6:25pm: For the time being we’re talking about a petition for a footpath in Flora Hill. Cr Helen Leach wants an extra $5 million for footpaths in next year’s budget.
6:20pm: Tonight’s meeting should be a cracker – the recommendations of the conduct panel which was tasked with looking into Cr Elise Chapman’s behaviour is due to be tabled tonight. Cr Chapman tweeted a graphic photograph earlier this year to a supporter of Bendigo’s proposed mosque.
6:17pm: Question time over. Onto Cr Lisa Ruffel’s report.
6:15pm: Mosque protester Julie Hoskin up now. She’s asking about Haven, Home; Safe’s investment in affordable housing and how much the group stands to make. Cr Cox says it’s probably a better question for them.
6.10pm: We’re in public question time at the moment. A member from the gallery has asked council if it would consider flying a rainbow flag during at some point.
Mayor Peter Cox needs to have it explained to him what the rainbow flag signifies (it’s LGBTIQ pride for those of you playing at home).
Cr Cox will look into it. He’s not sure on the council regulations regarding flags.
6pm: Good evening. We’re broadcasting tonight’s council meeting live via Periscope. Council is underway, and we’ll be keeping you updated throughout the night.