A controversial council member has told an assembly to “fuck off” in a foul-mouthed videolink outburst from her car just weeks after sparking outrage by posting a Nazi meme.
Cr Severina burner and Cr Grace Bawden into teleconference from a vehicle in the car park outside the City of Salisbury Council Chambers in northern Adelaide.
But CR Burner became enraged during a vote when she demanded more details of a motion they opposed.
They complained that they were made to “look like idiots” and later claimed they had to get up to cast their votes despite being in a car.
Cr Burner burst out, ‘We both don’t want to get involved as long as you keep cheating on us like this. Enough is enough.’
She was cut off by deputy mayor Chad Buchanan calling for order, before Cr Burner told the assembly to “fuck off” and then pulled the plug on her video link.
Councilor Severina Burner (pictured) told the assembly to ‘fuck off’ before pulling the plug on her video link to council chambers
Cr Severina Burner and Cr Grace Bawden teleconferenced from a vehicle in the car park outside the City of Salisbury Council chambers in northern Adelaide (pictured)
Cr Buchanan told the meeting: ‘The audio explains what just happened…’
“I was actually shocked at first,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“In 20 years of chairing meetings, I have never heard an elected member tell colleagues and staff ‘where to go’ during a formal meeting.
Not only was the use of that language disrespectful and unprofessional, but the continued bad behavior at formal meetings is downright deplorable behavior.
“Residents and businesses rightly expect a level of professionalism and courtesy from their elected members and this behavior falls far short of community expectations.”
Mayor Gillian Aldridge added: “One of the things we believe in is respect, and it’s very disappointing that respect was not shown that night.”
Cr Burner and Cr Bawden – who are aunt and niece – referred all calls from Daily Mail Australia to their lawyer.
A legal letter later claimed that several complaints were under investigation and that the couple are “statutory-barred and prohibited from discussing … the subject matter of the complaint.”
But CR Bawden told The Adelaide Advertiser they were expected to physically get up to vote while in the car at the time.
Cr Burner was in her car because she is reportedly banned from attending face-to-face meetings due to past incidents, a council insider said.
It was said that Cr Bawden joined her in the video link from the vehicle as a gesture of support for her relative.
“We were just doing our job and trying to do it so we didn’t have to be in the room,” she said.
“I wasn’t happy to be thwarted for standing up for a division when obviously I couldn’t get up because I was in a car.
“This is how ridiculous this has become.”
She said the pair had felt “ridiculed, bullied and harassed” during the council meetings.
“Any other workplace would not tolerate this,” she added. “No one attracts any of the other councilors who bully and intimidate and harass us.
“My worries don’t matter, they don’t care how I feel.”
The feud erupted just a month after Cr Burner was convicted of posting a Nazi-themed meme on social media.
The photo showed a boy imitating the Nazi symbol with hands outstretched and legs bent with a caption of Cr Burner saying, ‘We are not alone. Personal views’.
The meme’s caption read, “Me when asked to apologize because I’m right,” with the last word on the word “white.”
The image posted to social media shows a man imitating the Nazi symbol with a caption of Councilor Severina Burner saying, “We are not alone. Personal views’ (photo)
The council condemned the post in a motion that “strongly” denounced the post for its “disturbing” references to the Nazi regime, fascism and white supremacy.
It expressed the council’s dismay and said the image would affect communities in the northern suburbs associated with victims of Nazi persecution during World War II.
The motion passed unanimously, with Cr Burner and Cr Bawden not attending the meeting.
“We are united in not tolerating this behavior,” Mayor Aldridge added.
Adelaide Holocaust Museum chairman Greg Adams said elected officials must meet the highest standards.
The advertiser said CR Burner told a reporter to “get f*****” after the news outlet contacted her.