Mayor Glenn Wilson shuts down call for council to pressure State Government into suspending COVID vaccines

A Goldfields resident’s request for the Kalgoorlie-Boulder council to follow Port Hedland’s example in calling for the immediate suspension of COVID vaccines has been shot down by mayor Glenn Wilson. During public question time at Monday night’s meeting, Karissa Zappelli — donning a T-shirt which read “my pronouns are they/lied” — called for the council to pressure the State Government for the vaccines to cease. Ms Zappelli requested the motion go forward immediately or within a week because she did not think there was “time to wait”. Her questions come after the Town of Port Hedland council voted 5-2 for the council and its chief executive to send letters to the Federal and State health departments and related ministers seeking the immediate suspension of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The motion was based on a recent report by Canadian virologist David Speicher and letters from Federal Victorian MP Russell Broadbent to Anthony Albanese. When mayor Glenn Wilson told Ms Zappelli the motion would not be considered that night, she said she would push for a special council meeting — which requires the mayor or one third of the council to call — if “no one is going to acknowledge what I’m putting forward tonight”. “We can locally motion what Port Hedland has done to say ‘we agree with what you are doing’,” she said. “We need to put pressure on the ... State Government to end these very soon.” Mr Wilson said his answer was “no” and the matter would not be considered, prompting Ms Zappelli to ask what the other councillors’ opinions were. “My opinion — and you asked me — is no,” he said. “As the presiding member, you deal with me. And if you wish to speak to any of the councillors — you’ve already done that today — feel free to call them tomorrow.” A short staring contest ensued, with Ms Zappelli then asking the council if they “realised what’s actually happening” before being thanked for her time and leaving the room. Speaking to the Kalgoorlie Miner on Tuesday, Mr Wilson said Ms Zappelli was welcome to continue speaking with councillors to see if she could gather enough support for a special council meeting to be called, but he would not order it under his power. “While I disagree with what was being asked for support, what is encouraging is that any members of our community can still come to a council meeting and ask a question,” he said.