A fiery screaming match erupted between councillors at a Cumberland Council meeting in Sydney’s west after one local politician told another to ‘shut up’ – leaving a resident in tears.
The heated clash broke out on Wednesday night as independent councillor Ahmed Ouf was speaking in support of a motion regarding next year’s Easter celebrations.
Following apparent interjections from the other side of the chamber by Labor councillor Diane Colman, Mr Ouf snapped.
‘Shut up when I’m talking, OK,’ he fumed.
‘I beg your pardon, Councillor,’ Mayor Ola Hamed interjected, as tensions escalated.
‘When I’m talking, this is my time, not your time,’ Cr Ouf told Cr Colman.
‘When I talk, you shut up, OK?’
Cr Colman interrupted: ‘Oh, point of order, Mayor, point of order!’
Cumberland councillor Diane Colman (pictured standing far right) rose to her feet after being repeatedly told to ‘shut up’ by a councillor during a fiery meeting on Wednesday night
Independent councillor Ahmed Ouf became frustrated at apparent interjections on the other side of the chamber. He later apologised
Cr Ouf stood his ground.
‘Why is she talking while I’m talking? Why is she taking from my time?’ he said.
Cr Colman fired back: ‘How dare you!’
Cr Ouf replied: ‘You just keep your mouth shut while I’m talking. I never, ever spoke when you were talking or having time.’
The comment sparked an explosive outburst from Cr Colman, who rose from her seat.
‘You cannot speak to me like that,’ she screamed from across the room.
‘You show respect, you show respect,’ Cr Ouf yelled back.
Cr Colman snapped back: ‘You show me some respect.
‘How dare you speak to me like that. How dare you.’
Labor councillor Diane Colman (pictured with federal minister Chris Bowen) had no regrets about her actions
The screaming match during Wednesday night’s council meeting has since gone viral online
The blazing row continued for seven minutes until the mayor called a brief adjournment.
The fiery scenes unfolded in front of a packed public gallery, where a distraught woman had to be consoled afterwards, according to Libertarian Councillor Steve Christou.
‘It put everyone who was there in an unhealthy and unsafe environment,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I felt sorry for the council staff, who shouldn’t have to work under these conditions or put up with this…
‘I also felt for the crowd, as we had a full public gallery there that night.
‘One woman was crying because she felt unsafe.’
He added that Cr Ouf apologised afterwards and claimed that Cr Colman often interrupted while other councillors had the floor.
‘I’ve previously raised concerns about this behaviour,’ he said.
Cumberland councillor Steve Christou (pictured) feels sorry for the council staff and ratepayers who witnessed Wednesday night’s fiery scenes
Cr Colman stood by her actions, claiming she is also frequently interrupted and bullied by other councillors in the chamber.
‘He (Cr Ouf) told me to shut up four times,’ she said.
‘Enough is enough. It’s time that councils stop the bullying and misogyny that goes on.’
She confirmed Cr Ouf later apologised.
‘The matter is closed,’ Cr Colman said.
Councillor Ouf told the Daily Mail that his comments had nothing to do with gender and reiterated calls for councillors not to be interrupted.
‘I wished it hadn’t happened,’ he said.
‘This is my first term and I have never interrupted or harassed another councillor.
‘I was speaking about an important matter and I was interrupted, which shouldn’t have been allowed.’
Labor councillor Glenn Elmore chose not to weigh in on the stoush but confirmed it wasn’t an isolated incident.
‘This type of behavior occurs during every council meeting and the authorities do nothing to prevent it happening again,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘I have spoken to the deputy general manager and was told council staff have taken all action to prevent this behaviour occurring but it continues.
‘The system is broken.’
