Family feud fears

Rebecca Aubrey (23) has set her sights on Effie Nicholson’s City ward seat, with the younger Aubrey accusing the councillor and her brother Cr Nicholas Pazolli of being part of a faction responsible for ‘bullying and intimidation’ in council.

In a letter to the Melville Times, Ms Aubrey said she supported her father’s attempt through the courts to have a Violence Restraining Order enforced against Cr Pazolli. The order was revoked after a sensational secret voice recording of a meeting between the Mayor and the councillor which, when played in court, contradicted the Mayor’s earlier evidence of threatening behaviour by Cr Pazolli.

Ms Aubrey said the recording clearly depicted Cr Pazolli punching his fists into a table while stating the words ‘damn right it’s a threat’.

She also pointed to Magistrate Greg Smith’s comments that her father had been subjected to ‘abusive’ and ‘intimidating’ acts and ‘appalling behaviour from an elected member’.

In her letter to the newspaper, Ms Aubrey wrote: ‘Several council officers have contacted me asking if my father was OK because they had heard the violent incident taking place despite being on a different floor of the council building.

‘I have spoken to other staffers who have advised they are sick of the bullying taking place by Cr Pazolli and his sister, Cr Effie Nicholson, and that it is time for someone to take a stand against them.’

Cr Pazolli told the Times he did not want to comment for this article.

Cr Nicholson, who has represented City ward since 2010, re-nominated after the nomination period opened last Thursday.

Cr Nicholson said she believed the recent legal battle between her brother and the Mayor had damaged the reputation of the City of Melville and wasted State and local government resources.

‘It was a waste of time, energy and money and should never have gone to court,’ she said.