REDLAND City Council has sent letters threatening legal action after some residents launched an online petition and attacked mayor Karen Williams on social media.
The move also follows a protest outside the council chambers last week. Council chief executive Bill Lyon said the letters were issued to five individuals on Friday, September 4.
He said they were in response to “continued, untrue, deeply offensive and defamatory material posted on social media”.
“This organisation has a duty of care to protect the reputation of its officers and this city from such malicious and deceptive allegations,” Mr Lyon said.
“While council welcomes community debate, these individuals crossed the line and council was left with no option but to seek a legal remedy.
“It is noted that much of the completely false and indefensible material was immediately withdrawn.”
Council lawyer Andrew Ross wrote the letters ordering some to apologise for Facebook posts and others to recant the wording of an online petition.
Following Mr Ross’s letters, an apology was posted on change.org, where the petition garnered 103 signatures.
A group of residents held a protest outside the council on Wednesday and asked passersby to sign the petition addressed to Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and called for a state inquiry into the council.
Ormiston resident Judy Rose, one of the protest organisers, said citizens were exercising their democratic rights. The group planned to collect 1000 signatures and send a newly-worded petition to the state government.
