Mayor bans well-travelled sign

The Mayor of Gosford Council found it necessary last Tuesday night to interrupt the flow of council business at its weekly Tuesday night meeting.

He felt it necessary to raise a concern, only he held, for the safety of persons visiting the almost empty Council Chambers, while going about their lawful business.

Cr Robert Bell was, it seems, indeed troubled by the sign I usually hold above my head on Tuesdays for all to see.

It is a sign well-travelled, having visited the State Parliament with it many times over three years, displaying it before the crowds visiting there for well over 600 hours with never an accident!

Mayor Bell spoke at length to the councillors about liability should someone be injured.

Council would be considered negligent.

The truth is the messages on the sign are the concern for our Mayor Bell.

The corruption allegations against Gosford Council, surrounding a development application are not going to go away!

So the Mayor is attempting something tried before in Sydney on November 25 last year, by Constable Calcutt, Badge 880.

He is attempting to interfere with my freedom of speech.

He is raising spurious grounds to prevent me holding my sign, something I have been videoed doing for hours and days at a time in all weather outside our State Parliament House, exercising a right my 87-year-old father fought for!

And exercising that right in his defence.

Edward James, Umina