Wallsend MP Seeks Legal Advice On Possible Defamation Action

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The latest Newcastle Council controversy involving CEO Jeremy Bath and a Newcastle Herald letter to the editor writer is turning a spotlight on an ongoing feud between local Labor councillors and an MP. 

A decision by Council to endorse an independent investigation into the letter writing scandal during Tuesday night's meeting, reportedly ended in some councillors taking aim at Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery.  

Ms. Hornery is now seeking legal advice on possible defamation action, alleging Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Councillor Carol Duncan made untrue and potentially defamatory comments about her. 

The Newcastle Herald reports Ms. Hornery has been accused of "waging a campaign against councillors via the media for nearly a year now likely in order to influence internal Labor party disputes", and says investigations into "how confidential electoral roll details about council staff and their friends and family came into the possession of journalists" have been endorsed by some councillors. 

Although not revealing what's been directly said about her, Ms. Hornery said the allegations against her are false. 

"In terms of any of the allegations, they're untrue," she said. 

Speaking at an education doorstop in Jesmond on Thursday, Ms. Hornery said party disagreements shouldn't get in the way of delivering for locals. 

"Party politics in any party is always difficult and there will always be people who have different views on things, but I am a member of the Labor party, and I hold the old-fashioned Labor views about opposing privatisation and about focusing on what the community needs in Wallsend; that's what it's all about."

"I want to apologise to our community that this has provided a distraction from our important work to lobby to get the best we can for the Hunter," she said. 

Newcastle Councillors Speak On Pool Saga

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The Member for Wallsend has hit back at claims of bullying by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle.  

It follows Tuesday night's council meeting where councillors discussed the management contracts for the city's five inland pools. 

When seven Labor councillors declared a conflict of interest over the issue, Liberal councillors were unable to form a quorum and the matter was delegated to Council's CEO Jeremy Bath. 

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes says Sonia Hornery instructed her on how to vote on the matter and in turn, created a conflict of interest. 

Sonia Hornery, who's been a long-time critic of privatisation, says the claims are false and misleading, and she won't back down from advocating for her constituents. 

Meanwhile, Liberal councillor Callum Pull says he's disappointed with how the meeting played out. 

He and Cr Jenny Barrie issued a statement today noting Council's responsibility to reach a democratic decision on issues of public interest. 

Cr Pull said although councillors are within their rights to declare a conflict, personal or political views do not constitute a private interest. 

"There's nothing wrong with having a political view... and as far as I can tell, it's never been specifically about a tender, it's always been about opposing the privatisation of the pools, which the Labor party ran a very public campaign on nine years ago when this issue first arose. 

They were not excluded from decisions then, and again, having a political view does not exclude you from assessing a tender," he said.   

In relation to the bullying allegations against Sonia Horney, Cr Pull said he's had no such experience with the Wallsend MP. 

"I have never seen anything that could be described as bullying behaviour by Sonia Hornery."