Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has hit back at comments by a Warrnambool City councillor who called the idea of installing an independent monitor "immature" after what she says was the questionable sacking of CEO Peter Schneider.
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Mrs McArthur said she didn't believe the decision to sack Mr Schneider in a 4-3 vote passed "the pub test".
She has also called on councillors to stand down, or be stood down - a call that found support from Mayor Tony Herbert and Crs Robert Anderson and Peter Sycopoulis.
Crs Mike Neoh, Kylie Gaston, Sue Cassidy and David Owen rejected the call to stand down.
She said the community appeared "rightly concerned" that no proper explanation had been forthcoming regarding the abrupt termination of the CEO after having previously endorsed his performance review and even offered a pay increase, which he rejected.
"If Cr Neoh says I shouldn't be passing judgement without being privy to all the information to which he is privileged, then he and his fellow travellers should take the entire Warrnambool community into their confidence, treat them with the respect they deserve and release all the reasons and information behind their ham-fisted and unusual decisions," she said.
Cr Neoh on Thursday declined to buy into the back-and-forth debate with the MP, but did say someone in Mrs McArthur's position should understand that councillors were bound by confidentiality under the Act.
Mrs McArthur said Cr Neoh's comments about needing to "move forward" and "forget about the white noise", were "no doubt in the faint hope" the community would pay no attention to their decision.
She said she doubted Warrnambool's citizens saw the recent actions of four councillors as simply 'white noise' and would make their views known during October's council elections.
"I called for the appointment of a monitor because I believed it was totally unacceptable to appoint an acting CEO from within city hall at the same meeting as the sacking, without any thought to advertising the position, let alone seeking an independent outside manager of business," Mrs McArthur said.
"I believe most people agree this does not pass the pub test.
"The four councillors talk about leadership - real leaders take responsibility for their actions and in the interests of transparency and accountability, should support the entire council standing down so that an independent monitor can be installed to fix up a mess created for unclear reasons."
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