Councillor Chapman was the subject of a Conduct Hearing over a controversial tweet of an alleged FGM photograph to a mosque supporter. It was done on a private phone, through a private twitter account, during private hours. After 11 weeks the conduct panel brought down its findings.
It appears that the Bendigo Council has once again attempted to mislead the public. This time however we can offer you the trail. This Bendigo Council Meeting was conducted on the 5 August. The misleading appears to have been aided and abetted by the Bendigo Advertiser. We offer you the following capture of events from this direct feed of events reported by the Bendigo Advertiser.http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3260124/live-bendigo-council-meeting/?cs=80
Step 1—GAG any debate within the Council Proceedings—do not allow the Councillor in question to defend herself later in the meeting.
Step 2—WITHHOLD any damning evidence from public scrutiny—keep the public from seeing the junk findings contained in the Panel Report. Not only were the appendices withheld from being tabled—the entire report was not tabled. Previous Conduct Reports have always been tabled. Neither of these facts were reported by any media.
Step 3—KILL the credibility of the Councillor by asking for an apology when a review of the panel’s decision is being sought by the Councillor in question. (The review period to seek an appeal against any Conduct Panel decision is 28 days. This council meeting fell within this 28 day review period. Seeking an apology under these circumstances appears mischievous by Mayor Peter Cox.) Remember that he installed a gag order on proceedings which meant that Councillor Chapman was unable to explain this legal position to the media and the public.
Step 4—REMOVE all audio records of Council meetings by only allow live streaming. From July 2015 Phoenix FM stopped producing and archiving podcasts of the Council meetings. The public has no way to hear what happened.
Step 5—FIND a “Council friendly” media (Bendigo Advertiser) that will throw the public off the track instead of reporting the facts.
For Example the Bendigo Advertiser could have reported the fact that the Panel Report was being withheld from public—where all previous Conduct Hearing reports for the Bendigo Council have been tabled complete with report and appendices; that the Mayor gagged debate on the conduct Panel Findings and of the report at the meeting; that the Mayor asked for an apology but knew the gag order meant that the Councillor could not respond; that the Bendigo Council is removing the audio trail of its proceedings to prevent future public scrutiny.
Once again Bendigo Council now under its socialist mayor Cr Peter Cox shows the Australian public how democracy and justice is not being served. This is just not right Bendigo Council.
A corrupt media creates a corrupt society. Until the media takes seriously its mantle of providing this public service free of bias, good people doing good in public positions will continue to be harmed. The media can make any person or group out to be mugs and then retract the offending part of the story later—after the damage has been done. This too is just not right.
The public has a right to know “the truth” and hear opinions that may not be part of a current political agenda. Just because someone has a different opinion to the media outlet or the current Mayor does not entitle Councils or reporters to skew facts or events in order to belittle others. We still live in a democracy which means that Councils and media both need to start acting in the public interest instead of their own—and allow and even foster these essential freedoms in conscience and speech.
The only way we can combat this type of bullying is to expose it. Please share.
3 thoughts on “Bendigo Council shows how to “mislead the public” in 5 easy steps”
Socialism is NOT democracy, it is a totalitarian ideology and quite evil. Its responsible for most of Europes shocking troubles which will blow soon the atmosphere is so tense. The above exposed document is actually archetypal socialism as practiced from its inception in Russia. It is all about great deception. shocking oppression under a fake veneer of being a free thinking and caring ideology and totally distorting everything and keeping the public oppressed and utterly in the dark. The Advertiser IS A FAIRFAX Media publication. So are we surprised. The above evil must be fully exposed and but avoid the Labor government here as they will ignore you and support this evil. Our country is so changed the stink of corruption is everywhere. There must be some sort of ombudsman somewhere??? Or perhaps it should be taken to the courts. Its beyond disgusting.
How are you the council, going to explain your conduct,when we expose you.You are all Crims and you will reap the whirlwind.Fancy doing that to your life,The grandchildren must be proud.
Disgraceful and corrupt behaviour on behalf of the Bendigo councillors and Bendigo media! An investigation should be held and the moronic mayor and his team of cohorts removed from council.