Port Macquarie-Hastings resident action groups throw support behind mayor Peta Pinson

It has been a week of disruption for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council after Cr Pinson made strong allegations of bullying and harassment against some of her council colleagues at the June 3 meeting.

She claimed council was "toxic" and was no longer serving the community's best interests.

Those claims were challenged by deputy mayor Lisa Intemann who asked the mayor to provide specific examples before the elected body voted down Cr Pinson's push to call on the Minister for Local Government for an early election.

"They are very serious allegations deserving proper investigation and correction if untrue," Cr Intemann said.

"However despite repeatedly asking the mayor to please provide actual examples of what she is referring to, none have been forthcoming either to me or I believe any relevant person."

An anonymous and highly defamatory letter is also circulating the community making allegations of bullying within the organisation, calling for the council to return to administration.

All elections in NSW have been postponed to September 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, it was decided the authority to seek external professional remediation for all councillors be given to general manager Craig Swift-McNair.

The GM resigned on June 4, followed by Cr Justin Levido on June 5.

GM Craig Swift-McNair believes the organisation is functioning effectively despite the most targeted claims yet made by the mayor that it has lost its way.

"The organisation is functioning incredibly effectively and that's what a general manager's key role is," Mr Swift McNair said after announcing his resignation.

"The functionality of the elected body, or otherwise, is not something a smart GM makes any public comment about.

"I think the evidence is sitting there in the way our region is moving forward."

Read more: Port Macquarie-Hastings general manager Craig Swift-McNair says there's strong evidence of council success despite "deep divisions"

Yesterday (June 9) the Minister's office confirmed an early election was not on the table and a date for all NSW elections in September 2021 is yet to be determined.

The action groups supporting the mayor have all had the backing of Cr Pinson on big issue decision-making from the hotly debated orbital road to the opening of Lake Cathie.

The groups include the Better Orbital Options Alliance; Save Fernhill Community Action Group; Revive Lake Cathie; Sanctuary Springs/Greenmeadows Action Group; Lake Innes Action Group; and Stop Sancrox Quarry Expansion Group.

Spokesman for the Orbital Options Alliance, Grant Mitchell, said the groups' believe their has been a campaign against the mayor by a majority group of councillors since 2018.

He said action groups which have emerged across the local government area in the two years all have complaints about the council executive and a group of councillors on issues including a lack of transparency; poor communication; a lack of genuine community engagement and meaningful consultation; ongoing widespread destruction of wildlife habitat; and dismissive and discourteous treatment of community group members.

"Community frustration and dissatisfaction came to a head when more than 400 residents packed into a town meeting at the Port Macquarie Race Club last August to air their frustrations. The meeting carried a unanimous motion of no confidence in the council," Mr Mitchell said.

Mr Mitchell said the groups will continue to push the Minister to support Cr Pinson's plea for an early election.

There are now two vacant councillor positions following the departure of Justin Levido and Mike Cusato.

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