A VOLUNTEER handing out electoral material at the Bomaderry pre-poll has claimed she was the victim of verbal abuse by Robyn Watson, wife of Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson.
Mrs Watson has responded to the allegations by claiming, “I have copped all the abuse in the world.
“The moment you retaliate, you’re the worst in the world.”
Shoalhaven Action Campaign member Kate Broadhurst was volunteering at the pre-poll on Monday when she noticed a pamphlet for the Shoalhaven Independents Group and asked candidate Gary Lees if she could see it.
Mr Lees handed her the leaflet, only to have Mrs Watson rush over and snatch it from Ms Broadhurst’s hand.
“Robyn Watson launched over and grabbed it, saying ‘Don’t give that bitch anything’,” she said.
“I said to her I have never been spoken to like that by a stranger before.
“She said something along the lines of, ‘With the shit you lot have been handing out, there is a lot more I could say’.”
The incident left Ms Broadhurst shaken but she said she would have let It pass.
But Mrs Watson then turned to Cr Jack Kerr and allegedly said, “Look, we’ve upset her, the poor thing.”
“I don’t think that kind of behaviour befits the first lady,” Ms Broadhurst said.
“I made an official complaint to the returning officer.
“I don’t think Robyn Watson knew who I was, I think it was the SAC T-shirt I was wearing.”
She said it was not the first time a Shoalhaven Action Campaign member had been the target of intimidation and bullying by the Shoalhaven Independents Group.
A few hours earlier, ward one candidate Laura Eringa was also allegedly the recipient of intimidating behaviour by fellow candidates Jim McCrudden and Jack Kerr.
Ms Eringa who was also handing out SAC how to vote cards said the atmosphere was intimidating.
“Jack Kerr made the comment I was leading voters, so I found out the rules and I was not leading. I was told not to let myself be bullied,” she said.
“I was called a Greenie, I was pushed out of the way.
“Then Jim McCrudden piped up and said we’re affiliated with the Bush Telegraph and it’s all scandalous lies.
“It was totally intimidating and in fact I was sorry I had to leave Kate there. I felt she was open to abuse.
“I feel that if I was being intimidated and bullied just handing out fliers at pre-poll, it makes me think this is what goes on in council and at a community consultation level.
“We can’t have those councillors bullying and intimidating people.”
Lyn Cram, a member of Gareth Ward’s team in ward one, was handing out how-to-vote cards at the pre-poll at the time of the verbal abuse directed at Ms Broadhurst.
“It was disgusting, it really was,” Mrs Cram said.
“This was venomous. The way she was speaking was just shocking.”
Mrs Watson was “screaming and carrying on”, saying, “Get that off the bitch” and “Don’t let the bitch have anything”, according to Mrs Cram.
“All the guys like Jack Kerr were just laughing and saying, ‘Robyn’s having a go again’.”
Mrs Cram said Ms Broadhurst “kept control of herself wonderfully” and “spoke beautifully”, questioning why Mrs Watson was behaving in that manner.
“Robyn just said ‘I wasn’t speaking to you I was speaking about you’ in the same tone of voice, and might have called her a bitch again,” Mrs Cram said.
However Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson said he “didn’t see anything”.
“I wasn’t aware of what happened, if anything happened at all,” Cr Watson said.
He said allegations of abuse “sounds like a political stunt”.
“It’s of no interest to me personally.”