Wallsend MP Sonia Honery has hit out at the City of Newcastle Council, accusing them of “unprofessional” and politically motivated behavior after a contentious response to a constituent inquiry.
In a scathing statement, Honery expressed outrage over the reply she received from an executive of the Council, calling it “totally inappropriate” and “politically charged.” The MP, who had reached out to the council on behalf of a concerned resident, questioned whether the Council staff were more focused on political games than actually helping the people they serve.
“Politics is one thing, but at the end of the day, we’re here to help people. If City of Newcastle staff are letting politics get in the way of that, there are some serious questions to be answered,” Honery said.
The MP also raised concerns about the Council’s executive engaging in political debate with an elected representative, particularly when she was simply asking a straightforward question on behalf of a resident. “Is monitoring my social media part of their job description?” she added.
Honery has now referred the matter to the Office of Local Government for review, calling for a closer look at how residents and their elected representatives are being treated by the Council staff.
