An external investigation has concluded Kempsey Shire councillor Noel Selby did post the comment “pity he hadn’t bashed you” to a woman from his personal Facebook account in April.
Selby had previously advised the council’s CEO the content was posted from his social media account without his consent.
The background: In mid-April, an account by the name of “Selby Noel” allegedly made the comment on a post in a Facebook group, in response to a woman asking whether a public figure featured in a news article had been violent towards his partners.
“Didn’t he bash his wife, then his mistress,” the female Facebook user questioned.
In response, the Selby Noel account allegedly responded by commenting “pity he hadn’t bashed you”.
The comment has since been removed, however another remains on the same post, in which the Selby Noel account suggests another female Facebook user’s mother “should have swallowed”.
What it means: Following the incident, Kempsey Shire Council launched an investigation, undertaken by workplace management firm Centium.
On Thursday, the results of the investigation were emailed to people who made official complaints to the council about Selby’s alleged comments.
In the report, obtained by the Mid North Coaster, the Centium investigator took the view that Selby “did post the comment from his Facebook account”.
“I am also of the view that Cr Selby’s comment has breached Council’s Code of Conduct as it causes, comprises or involves intimidation and constitutes harassment, in that it is not wanted by the person and offends, humiliates or intimidates the person, and creates a hostile environment. It also has the capacity to damage the Council’s reputation,” the investigator wrote.
It is not a legal finding, but the council can use the report to inform how it responds to the issue.
What next: The investigator recommended Selby be censured by the council, in accordance with the Local Government Act.
Kempsey Shire Council told the Mid North Coaster it has “received the final investigation report and will consider the report and the investigator’s recommendation” at the council meeting on Tuesday October 20.
Selby declined to comment on the findings, stating the “matter isn't concluded until after the next council meeting”.
Call for action: Journalist and anti-violence advocate Sherele Moody called on the council to “hold Selby to account”.
“I am also calling on Selby to retire from council as it is not appropriate for a man to make comments that normalise gendered violence in Australia,” Moody told the Mid North Coaster.
“We are in the midst of a femicide epidemic and Selby's decision to wish a woman be bashed on a post about murdered women feeds into the attitudes that underpin gendered violence and femicide. This is not just a situation where an apology is sufficient.”