Lismore City Council is calling out the disgraceful behaviour of a small number of individuals who have recently vandalised facilities and abused, threatened and assaulted staff at the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre.
In recent weeks, Council staff have been sworn at, spat on and, most recently, assaulted when a group of juveniles threw urine-soaked paper at reception, cleaning and crèche staff. These are not pranks, they are acts of abuse and intimidation that have no place in our community.
Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said enough is enough.
"Our staff are locals, people who live and work in this community. They come to work each day to support our residents, not to be threatened or humiliated. Abuse of any kind will not be tolerated," Cr Krieg said.
Council is taking a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour toward their teams.
Individuals who breach the facility's Conditions of Entry and reasonable conduct codes will face bans, with incidents being referred to police where appropriate.
"These are grubby acts. Those who think this behaviour is funny or harmless need to understand it has real consequences," Mayor Krieg said.
"Not only does it impact the wellbeing of our staff, but it also costs the community. Every act of vandalism, every incident of aggression, adds to the cost of cleaning, repairs and security.
The message comes during Safe Work Month, with Council's "Your Behaviour Matters" campaign reminding residents that how we treat each other makes a difference.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe whether they're working on our roads, in our libraries, or at our local sports and aquatic centres," Mayor Krieg said.
"Our message is simple -show respect, follow the rules, and remember that our staff are here to serve you. Abuse will not be tolerated in any form."
Lismore City Council continue to work closely with the relevant state government agencies to support a safer community with Richmond Police District working to increase their presence around the Goonellabah shopping precinct and GSAC facility in coming weeks.
