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Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Argyle: Why Nedlands councillors turned against me
Sacked City of Nedlands mayor Fiona Argyle believes it was her response to stop a Perth-high rates rise for ratepayers 12 months ago that was the pretext for an uprising against her from within, which came to a council-imploding head this week. The ensuing year's bitter in-fighting culminated in four councillors quitting on Monday, with Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley confirming what remains of the council will be sacked and replaced by commissioners to run the city. One of the new commissioners' first tasks will be to determine the size of this financial year's rates bills for Nedlands ratepayers, along with its budget, like many other WA councils have already done in recent weeks. Former councillor Hengameh Amiry told PerthNow this week that was part of the reason for the timing of the quartet's exodus. 'We wanted to be sure that the budget was not set by this council,' Ms Amiry said. Hengameh Amiry (middle) was one of four Nedlands councillors to resign on Monday. Credit: Riley Churchman / The West Australian A year ago, the council wrestled with what would have been a proposed 9.5 per cent rates rise, which Ms Argyle and a majority of councillors railed against despite being told by staff the tough hike was necessary to keep up with required maintenance and development projects. In demanding the rise be no more than just 3.6 per cent, the mayor quipped her council was 'cutting the fat, not the muscle' out of its budget. The council slashed spending on bushland maintenance and closed the Point Resolution Childcare in Dalkeith — which is now allowed to reopen under new private management — and promised considerable cuts to its workforce. 'Every single operational cost will be coming under the microscope,' she said at the time. 'It's consultants and contractors we're cutting out, and we're going to engage the community at greater levels.' The City of Nedlands was thrown into chaos this week. Credit: City of Nedlands The City of Nedlands has since been the subject of a WorkSafe investigation amid reports more than 70 staff members had quit in the past 18 months. This week's turmoil and associated interruptions will likely make Nedlands among the last Perth councils to finalise and send out its annual rates notices. The council had gotten as far as advertising a proposed 4.8 per cent rise but after a series of meetings where it couldn't achieve a quorum, it had not deliberated the actual budget and rates rise to underpin it. Fiona Argyle believes councillors turned on her over her opposition to a rates rise. Credit: Andrew Ritchie / Perth Now Ms Argyle, who has been overseas in recent weeks and declared in a radio interview this week that the resignations had been 'fantastic news for all ratepayers', has not responded to PerthNow's questions since Monday. But she told a Post Newspapers reporter their act amounted to a 'political coup' and some councillors had turned on her over her opposition to last year's 9.5 per cent proposed rates rise. 'It really came to a head when that group wanted to put up the rates 9.5 per cent and I insisted it be 3.6 per cent,' Ms Argyle said. 'I've just tried so hard to be a good mayor for the people of Nedlands. 'I worked so hard on tree protection and the environment. 'Now the ratepayers have to pay for three commissioners. It will be a million dollars if they are there for a year.' Ms Beazley said the incoming trio of professionals, who are yet to be appointed, will effectively act as the council until at least the local government elections in October.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Unhinged mayor delivers extraordinary response after FOUR councillors quit within hours of each other - before she bizarrely talks herself up
The mayor of one of the wealthiest councils in Australia erupted into an unhinged rant after four of her councillors quit on the same day, claiming it was 'good news'. The City of Nedlands was thrown into turmoil after councillors Hengameh Amiry, Noel Youngman, Fergus Bennett and Ben Hodsdon resigned within hours of each other. Mayor Fiona Argyle told ABC Perth Radio on Monday it was 'a fantastic day' when the councillors resigned, including one who had served for more than two decades. In the train-wreck interview that spanned seven minutes, Argyle claimed the councillors had deliberately worked against her. 'I am the most popularly elected mayor since the 70s,' she boasted to host Geraldine Mellett. 'I welcome these resignations. I think it's really good news.' When pressed on her role in the collapse of the council, Argyle boasted about her achievements. 'I'm a globalised girl with almost three university degrees and can speak two languages,' she said. 'I have done nothing but work really hard for the ratepayers.' Her most controversial comments came when she responded to criticism over the council's push to retain Crown Land earmarked for a park as part of a $34million hospice for dying children in the plush coastal suburb of Swanbourne. The project, which sparked widespread backlash, was seen as a catalyst in the council's demise. She maintained opposition to the development was not about the children it was designed to serve, but rather giving away land belonging to the council. 'No one hates dying children, everyone loves dying children,' she said. 'But should Class A reserve land be handed over to private use? 'That is the city's land. It is like giving away Hyde Park, Jardin du Luxembourg, the Royal National Park in Sydney.' Western Australia does not currently have a dedicated children's hospice facility. Western Australian Lands Minister John Carey has moved to take part of the reserve out of the hands of the council, stating it had not maintained the space in 'any meaningful way' describing it as a treeless 'dustbowl'. He said last month he thought Nedlands was one of the 'worst councils in Western Australia'. 'This is NIMBYism gone mad,' he told the ABC. 'It makes absolutely no sense to want to keep a barren land there instead of a beautiful garden that will serve families and sick and dying children.' Perth Children's Hospital Foundation chair Ian Campbell said the City of Nedlands had 'made absolute fools of themselves'. Western Australian local government minister Hannah Beazley, the daughter of former deputy leader of the Keating government, will appoint a commissioner to oversee the dysfunctional council. Beazley cited 'repeated poor behaviour' and a breakdown in governance. These sentiments were echoed by the four councillors who all tendered their resignation on Monday, leaving the council without a quorum. But Argyle rejected the suggestion the dysfunction was of her making and labelled Nedlands one of the great cities of the world. Despite the turmoil, the council has been nominated for the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize for creating a vibrant place to live. When pressed on allegations of poor leadership, Argyle remained defiant and committed to public service, despite admitting that the role had taken a personal toll. 'My family want me to quit. I have four kids,' she said. She dismissed claims the council's collapse would damage her political future, instead floating the idea of launching a new political party and running for higher office. 'I can do whatever. I have choice. I'm an educated, smart woman,' she said. Argyle said, 'If anyone says anything bad about me, I will sue them.' 'I am really a good mayor who is highly educated and works hard and has been nothing but honest,' she said. Argyle has also been involved in numerous controversies since she was elected in 2021, including a failed legal fight to stop her neighbours building a two-storey home next to her home in the well-heeled western suburbs. She was also found to have breached the city's code of conduct by using offensive language when referring to another person, which led to recommendations for her to undergo counselling.
