Shoalhaven City Cr Nina Digiglio to raise motion calling for "equality and respect" in council chambers

Cr Digiglio will raise a motion in tonght's ordinary council meeting to "urgently" call for council to take a formal approach to reducing bullying in the chamber.

The motion outlines that the behaviour of councillors "spills over into the community" and impacts "the quality of our work in the community...and can damage the way that the community perceives" them.

Cr Digiglio said she feels compelled to raise the motion due to "attitudes" in the chamber, and to make council an inviting workplace for future young candidates.

"I've been sitting in that chamber for the last four and a half years and some of the attitudes and language is very derogatory at times and I've just had enough," she said.

"There is considerable literature documenting the physical and mental health consequences that may arise due to a failure to act on the issues raised here as they pertain to our workplaces.

"The other thing is that we've got young candidates running in the next election.

"They're in my team, and I need to make that room a safe space for those young people to thrive in that environment so they can make positive changes in the future.

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The motion also calls on council to embrace the local government NSW plan to encourage more women into council.

Cr Digiglio is also pushing for council to initiate a new toolkit produced by "Our Watch" Prevention Handbook, which is supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and is based on evidence to reduce violence against women, workplace bullying and horizontal violence in the workplace.

Cr Digiglio said the tool kit provides a strategy that "embraces all community diverse views, that will likely produce better community outcomes by their inclusion in the decision-making processes".

"People's voices that are missing in council are people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, young mothers, the elderly and those who are homeless," she said.

To stream tonight's council meeting, visit: https://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Council/Meetings/Stream-a-Council-Meeting

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