Councillor told woman it was a 'pity' she wasn't bashed, investigator finds

Investigator finds Kempsey councillor Noel Selby did make 'bash' comment In short: An independent investigator has found a Kempsey Shire councillor told a woman on social media it was a "pity" she had not been bashed by an alleged domestic violence perpetrator. Noel Selby says his private Facebook account was hacked and that he did not post the comment. What's next? The council will consider the investigator's findings at its meeting on October 20. A NSW Mid North Coast councillor is under pressure to resign after an independent investigator found he told a woman on social media it was a pity she had not been "bashed". Kempsey Shire Council hired consulting firm Centium to investigate following complaints about a post on the personal social media account of Noel Selby in April this year. The post, made in response to a comment from a woman alleging a man was violent towards multiple partners, said "pity he hadn't bashed you". Cr Selby has maintained his account was hacked and that he did not post the comment. But in an outcome statement obtained by the ABC, lead investigator Jennifer Perry "formed the view that Cr Selby did post the comment from his Facebook account". She also found that the comment "generated significant public commentary" that identified him as a Kempsey Shire councillor. The ABC approached Ms Perry for comment about the report but was referred to the council. She declined to provide details about what methods were used to reach the conclusion that Cr Selby was responsible for the Facebook comment. The full report and its findings will be considered at a council meeting on October 20. Cr Selby declined to comment on the report until after the meeting. Calls for resignation June Wilson, the executive officer of the domestic violence service Kempsey Families, contacted the council with concerns after seeing Cr Selby's comments. "I think the only option is for him to resign," she said. "It undermines the work we do. "It comes back to people holding someone to account, and that's the work we do in the [area of] men's behaviour change — you actually have to hold the mirror up and look at it." According to the latest NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research statistics, domestic violence rates in Kempsey are almost three times the state average. Ms Wilson said the council should seize the opportunity to take a firmer position against domestic violence and to strengthen relationships with domestic violence organisations. Kempsey Shire Council did not respond to questions about calls for Cr Selby's resignation, or about developing a domestic violence policy for staff and councillors. In a statement, the council said it rejected "all forms of violence, including family and domestic violence". Centium's outcome statement also found the comment breached council's code of conduct for intimidation and harassment and had "the capacity to damage the council's reputation". It was recommended that Cr Selby be formally censured. That would involve a public reprimand but would not allow for councillors to be stood down or suspended. A spokesperson for the NSW Office of Local Government said the government was "progressing reforms to strengthen councillor accountability and establish a more effective framework for dealing with serious misconduct". Multiple complaints Cr Selby's comment was publicised by domestic violence and femicide researcher Sherele Moody, who shared it on social media. She said actions promoting violence against women should be grounds for immediate dismissal from public office. "I don't know what the form of their censure will be, but it will need to be a response that recognises the gravity of the impact of his words," Ms Moody said. "I would like to see him retire from council. "I don't think it's at all appropriate for a man in a prominent position to make comments that normalise gendered violence in Australia and retain their public-facing role." Sydney-based domestic violence survivor and advocate Hannah Moreno said she was not from Kempsey Shire but felt compelled to submit a complaint to the council after seeing the comment. "[Cr] Selby's paid out of the public purse. He votes on decisions that shape women's lives and that makes him every Australian's business," she said. Ms Moreno said the consequences for such a breach should be tougher and considered grounds for "immediate suspension". "I'm just sick to death of powerful men seeing no consequences for their violent words and actions inflicted on women," she said.