Absent Mayor dodges call for parking apology

FREMANTLE Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge tonight twice walked out of the council chamber when asked to remove and apologise for Instagram comments accusing a High Street business and fellow elected member of attacking her mother over the Japingka parking issue.
The mayor excused herself from question time, because of a conflict of interest, when Port Jarrah Furniture owner Clint Clarke raised the offensive post that since late July has attracted more than 160 comments, many stating the mayor’s mother had been bullied and harassed by Mr Clarke and Cr Marija Vujcic.
“I’m out,” the exiting mayor quipped.
Mr Clarke continued: “I am offended and my family is equally offended by the post and nearly 200 people that have agreed with Hannah … there have been a lot of bad comments suggesting that person is a bad person, which is totally unfair. I ask for a public apology.”
Mr Clarke also asked CEO Glen Dougall when he will reply to his June 26 letter of demand over the unlawful parking taking place behind Japingka gallery since March last year.
“Hannah needs to face the music,” Mr Clint told council. “I am a 22-year business owner in the city of Fremantle and local resident. Is that how we treat ratepayers?”
When asked why the CEO had not acted, Mr Dougall replied: “Up until this time I have not had officers available to undertake the research in regard to the matter so the question was, when did you first raise the parking issue with the city and I said i would go away and investigate that matter and I felt the information you provided verbally to me was correct and I would deal with that matter.
“That matter has only started this week Mr Clarke.”
Unaware Japingka employee Jody Fitzhardge was the mayor’s mother until October last year, Mr Clarke added: “I actually spoke to Hannah’s mother and offered my bay from Monday to Thursday if she wanted to pay for it and I heard crickets. I have done everything diplomatic I physically can and I want some answers.”
Mayor Fitzhardinge again removed herself when Cr Vujcic referred to the Instagram post and asked her to remove it and apologise: “I am the councillor who represented Mr Clarkes’s parking issue in the chamber due to the City failing to act in the unlawful parking of Japingka employees. Clint paid for his parking in the city over a 14-month period and the City failed to infringe the offending parking or provide redress to Clint.”
Cr Vujcic added: “The parking issue is not an administrative matter, but a clear breach of parking policy,” she said. “I did not attack the mayor’s family. I do hold myself to higher standards.
“I am asking respectfully Mayor Fitzhardinge to take down your Instagram post. Your post is disrespectful to Clint Clarke, a ratepayer and someone who is the victim here, and a fellow councillor who took the oath like you did to represent all constituents equally, honestly and truthfully without fear or favour.”
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