With the Aboriginal flag held in front of them, signs in their hands, and expressions of anger and disbelief on their faces, proud Yaegl, Bundjalung, and Gumbaynggirr men, women, and children, had a clear message they wanted to deliver during the monthly Ordinary Meeting of Clarence Valley Council (CVC) last week.

Comments considered ‘racist’ have no place in the local community and will not be tolerated.

The organised movement occurred at the Grafton Council Chambers on April 17 in response to comments made by Councillor Debrah Novak during an Extraordinary Meeting of CVC less than a week earlier.

While the Native Title Act of 1993 was being discussed in relation to Council managed caravan parks in Wooli, Minnie Water, Brooms Head, and Iluka, where the owners of more than 130 semi-permanent holiday vans are currently fighting against proposed evictions, Cr Novak fumbled when choosing her words.

“Native Title holders, ahh owners, aren’t needed to rec, umm, umm, are not, umm, let me just get this right,” she said.

“If there was a problem with what was going on, I can guarantee you we would have every boomerang and every flame thrower in the Clarence Valley going to NCAT (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal), sorry, through NTS Corp.”

Several members of the public in attendance during the Extraordinary Meeting of CVC last week left the gallery and exited the premises as Cr Novak concluded her speech, with many Clarence Valley residents including those who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and those who don’t, expressing their shock and fury online regarding her choice of words in the days that followed.

A proud Yaegl woman who wished to remain anonymous told the Clarence Valley Independent she was horrified when she heard Cr Novak say boomerang and flame thrower during her speech.

“What also disgusted me was after she (Cr Novak) said those words, no one intervened, no one reprimanded her, nothing was done about it,” she said.

“We want Cr Novak to be held accountable for what she said, and that’s why a lot of us decided to come to the next meeting.”

While CVC Mayor Ray Smith advised attendees, once seated in the gallery, that they were not allowed to interject or interfere with the proceedings of the Ordinary Meeting of CVC otherwise he would be forced to adjourn the event and ask everyone to leave, as soon as CVC Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy stood up to deliver the Acknowledgement of Country, members of the public immediately turned their backs on the council amidst calls for Cr Novak to take responsibility for her actions.

After calling a 15-minute adjournment, the Mayor spoke to a large crowd who gathered around the entrance to the Grafton Council Chambers.

In response to calls for Cr Novak to be held accountable for her comments amidst demands for a public apology, Mayor Smith said if proceedings were able to go ahead that day, “something might happen.”

While the Ordinary Meeting of CVC was ultimately postponed and later rescheduled, Mayor Smith told the Clarence Valley Independent that had the meeting been permitted to proceed, Cr Novak had been prepared to make a public apology.

The Mayor went on to explain that amidst public backlash against Cr Novak, and against Council in relation to her comments which went unreprimanded at the time, it is not up to Council to sanction Councillors and their comments.

“It is up to Cr Novak to make a decision on what she feels is necessary to appease some very upset people, and that was her intention today,” he said.

The Mayor also confirmed formal complaints have been lodged with regards to Cr Novak’s comments.

Proud Bundjalung man Avery Brown, who has known Cr Novak and worked alongside her at several community events through the years, attended the monthly Ordinary Meeting of CVC last week and told the Clarence Valley Independent he was disappointed by her comments, adding he could not understand why she would make a statement like that.

While he also revealed he is yet to lodge a formal complaint against Cr Novak, Mr Brown said in joining other proud Bundjalung, Yaegl, and Gumbaynggirr men, women, and children, he hoped they could have a little bit of solidarity where they could come together to send a clear message that the sort of comments and remarks made by Cr Novak are not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.

The Clarence Valley Independent also attempted to contact Cr Novak for comment.

No response had been received at the time of publication.

This article appeared in Clarence Valley Independent, 23 April 2025.