Councillor Natalee Johnston Resigns
by Cat Holloway /
Independent Councillor Natalee Johnston has today resigned from her elected position on Shoalhaven City Council saying she could not "suffer through another three years" of council dysfunction.
"I have been thinking hard about this for a long time," Johnston said.
"I had to ask myself: am I happy to tolerate the toxic behaviour and bad decision making in that chamber - and my inability to do anything about it?
"I realised that, if I continue on and there's not some miraculous shift in behaviours and recognition then, yes, in three years time I would not be in a good mental state.
"As a safety professional, I needed to step out of that or I would have lost credibility.
"It was also about setting an example for my kids who hear me complain and have themselves been shocked to see what goes on in council meetings."
Johnston, whose consulting firm, Skilful Decisions, advises on decision-making, communication and safety culture, called for the Office of Local Government to take action to protect communities from the "bloc voting" and "group think" style of governance as well as anti-environment political vendettas that she said were "completely ridiculous".
Particularly concerning, Johnston said, was the number of acrimonious rescission motions launched after councillors had been briefed on the issues and had sometimes unanimously voted, only to have the vote overturned because a councillor claimed "shock" or that they didn't understand the options recommended.
"OLG need to provide more guidance or education or a firmer role in council culture and how the elected body comes about," Johnston said.
"They need to ask questions like: 'We see you all voting together, please explain.'
"And if Council can't come up with a decent explanation, then they should get a warning - especially when it's against staff and the majority of the community."
Johnston, Australia's first female Royal Australian Navy pilot and a respected public speaker and leadership strategist, said her biggest concern was for the public who had voted her into council.
"I had a very strict amount of time that I could allocate to council because I do a lot of other stuff - I'm still working and I have two kids."
But I felt I was wasting that time and that I could do be doing other things in my community that would have a more positive impact.
"In Council, I expected to lose some things that I really wanted, I had an expectation that things could go either way.
"What I didn't expect was the language that gets used... the bias that's in the council over how different councillors are treated."
"Some councillors are allowed to do a ten minute monologue on some topic while others aren't allow to mention it."
Johnston said she originally shared wide voter belief in the benefit of a majority of independent "by title" councillors.
She could not comment on whether the Shoalhaven Independent Group councillors were actively caucusing on voting decisions, but said that before meetings some councillors do gather in the Mayor's office with the door closed.
"One of the things I keep coming back to is that the SIG group campaigned against the Greens and Labor voting bloc of the last council, but that is exactly what they are doing now."
"I didn't expect the significant group-think and what appears to me to be direction on how to vote."
Johnston said the first straw was the vote and following rescissions over the Local Environment Plan's Character Statement on which "so much work and effort by staff was all shut down."
She said that despite some councillors arguing for character statements, those same councillors then voted against having it in the LEP.
Johnston said it was this example of "bad optics" and "inconsistency" that rang alarm bells.
She also cited the handling of the Sanctuary Point library and the Bioenergy lease renewal as hard to understand.
"The other one that nailed it was the recent development at Callala when the staff and community were generally in agreement and the chamber voted against it."
"Giving ourselves a pay rise was another thing where I went: 'Oh my God, in my book this is just not right.'"
Johnston has had lengthy career and personal experience across good and bad workplace culture. She said she believed many Shoalhaven councillors did not understand that workplace safety is now legislated.
"I want to make a clear separation between the elected body and the staff because the staff have been exemplary," Johnston said.
"To have all their work shut down - I don't know how they continue personally."
Johnston said she was originally "doubtful" about James Ruprai becoming acting CEO because he seemed close to the Mayor, but then noted his recent pushback and the brave move to step away.
"In the background I'm thinking: do I want to be associated with what the Shoalhaven looks like at the end of four years? Because no one will remember how you voted, just that you were on council."
Johnston said the decision to resign came after several months of feeling conflicted and guilty about leaving her running-mate and ally, Cr Jemma Tribe and some other councillors.
She hoped that big questions about whether local councils are constructive, destructive or a waste of public time and money is complicated but important.
"I hope my departure will encourage reflection and positive change within the chamber regarding councillor behaviours and decision-making processes," Johnston said in a public statement regarding her resignation.
"My decision stems from fundamental concerns about the culture of the elected council, which I believe has hindered our ability to make consistent, considered, and effective decisions in the best interests of our residents.
"I have based all my decisions within the chamber on the principles of good governance, financial considerations, staff recommendations, and community needs.
"When these factors conflict, I have clearly articulated my reasoning for my voting position.
"Unfortunately, this approach has not been adopted by others in the chamber."
Johnston suggested that vetting of local council candidates might be necessary even though it risked impinging on the democratic right of individuals to stand as community representatives.
According to existing Shoalhaven City Council rules, a Ward 3 vote count back will decide Natalee Johnston's replacement on Shoalhaven City Council.
Read Natalee Johnson's full resignation statement below.
