City muzzles Marija

The City of Fremantle tonight muzzled former councillor Marija Vujcic from speaking publicly at a planned council acknowledgement of her controversial time in local government.
On Monday, Ms Vujcic accepted an invitation to attend tonight’s council meeting at 6pm to, “acknowledge your contribution”, during presentations when Ms Vujcic said she had hoped to thank the City and her former fellow councillors.
On Tuesday, CEO Glen Dougall changed his mind and Ms Vujcic instead was asked to attend a private presentation either at 5.45pm or at a dinner after the council meeting, both out of the public domain.
The reason? A loaded agenda she was told in which it turned out only a handful of questions were asked and no other presentations were made. What is the City afraid of?
When elected members arrived at the presentations item, barefaced Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge asked as Ms Vujcic sat in the public gallery: “I don’t have notice of any petitions, deputations or special deputations or presentations. Are there any presentations? Nope.”
Not one ‘collegial’ councillor acknowledged Ms Vujcic, who then left disappointed, having been denied the courtesy and acknowledgement awarded to other departing members elected by the community. That’s local governance in Freo.
“It’s not me they disrespect,” Ms Vujcic told StreetWise. “It’s our ratepayers and residents they offend, people I represented on council for four years.”
A StreetWise reader and South Fremantle resident said she was gobsmacked at having witnessed the churlish mayor and councillors’ total lack of respect.
“Not one councillor in that chamber said they wanted to acknowledge the ex-councillor sitting in the chamber when the mayor asked for presentations. Not one of them had the gall, balls or decency to show any kind of class,” she said.