By Ethan Benedicto and Cam Lucadou-Wells
The City of Casey’s upcoming council meeting on Tuesday, 18 March, is being held online-only after continuing online threats directed to councillors
It follows the neighbouring Greater Dandenong Council closing its public gallery and streaming a ‘hybrid’ meeting online on 11 March due to security concerns.
About half of its councillors chose to take part online from their homes.
According to Casey Council, Victoria Police was investigating a “small group of people continuing to use threatening and violent language online toward Council and Councillors”.
“In response to advice from Victoria Police, and in the interest of public safety, the upcoming Council Meeting on Tuesday 18 March, will be held online.
“This decision, made by the Mayor and CEO, has not been made lightly and ensures Councillors can make important community decisions while prioritising safety.
“Public questions will be answered, and Council business will be discussed and decided on openly and transparently with residents listening and watching online.
Casey mayor Stafen Koomen told Star News that as new councillors and as a collective, they “want to meet in person, and that was our intention”.
“As a councillor group, we’ve had multiple meetings about this because it’s not something we wanted to do.
“Ultimately, we have a responsibility to ensure that our meetings are safe for everyone, given what occurred at the February meeting.
“Then there was the advice we got from different sources, from our own security team, and then directly from Victoria Police.”
Cr Koomen said the council’s “priority” was to have open meetings.
“It’s part of being available to residents and having things done transparently,” he said.
“We had an hour meeting with security and VicPol on Tuesday, and there was very clear (direction) which we’ve got, and we’ve acted on, which was to hold the meeting online.
“That’s the direction we’ve had to take, (but) we hope to be able to hold the meeting in public at Bunjil Place next month.”
Last month, Casey’s council meeting was adjouned after heated protests from residents, prompting a police call-out.
Outbursts escalated when Cr Koomen addressed online discussions and media coverage on a Hampton Park property where several unregistered vehicles were removed under the Casey Community Local Law 2023.
He stated recently that he, councillors and officers felt “unsafe” from the “disappointing” public gallery behaviour at last month’s meeting.
At the upcoming meeting, the council will vote on launching a review of the Local Law.
Also on the agenda are unfinished topics that were meant to be discussed during the Tuesday, 18 February meeting.
Despite the meeting being held online, local Casey resident, Sandy Papps, said that she will still be present at Bunjil Place, even if it is outside.
“We’ll be going to the meeting whether we’re allowed in or not, I mean, it’s people power, I suppose, but people showed up last time since they were upset, and it’s the same,” she said.
While Papps could not confirm the numbers, she is confident that the same amount of people as the February meeting will be present outside Bunjil’s premises, if not more.
When asked about the meeting being moved online, she simply said, “I’m surprised but not at the same time”.
“I’m certain that there will be other people turning out, and if there was that many people in February, it’s difficult to say, but there will definitely be people going,” she said.
Meanwhile, Greater Dandenong acting chief executive Sanjay Manivasagasivam said closing the gallery was a “responsible” decision to ensure the safety of residents, councillors and staff.
He said a “tiny number of people” had used “violent and threatening language online” in a dispute over the possible renaming of Afghan Bazaar in Dandenong.
“We understand Victoria Police are actively investigating these matters.
“These threats are not directed at Councillors or Council staff.
“In this context, we have made a decision to keep our gallery online-only this week. We didn’t take this decision lightly.
“Based on all the available information at this time, we think it is a responsible decision, in order to ensure the safety of residents, Councillors and staff.”
Manivasagasivam said recent meetings had been “orderly” and “peaceful” while many people attended the gallery to speak “passionately” on the issue.
“We emphasise that the overwhelming majority of our community are peaceful, respectful people.”
Questions will be answered from the public “as usual” but will be read by the acting CEO.
“We are not closing the meeting,” Manivasagasivam said.
“Across Victoria, we are one of the most open and transparent councils.
“This week, we will remain open and transparent, while limiting public viewing to online-only in the interests of community safety.”
