The council meeting on Tuesday heard about claims of racism towards the students and staff of the Australian International Aviation College (AIAC).
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General manager Craig Milburn revealed during the council meeting that one of the main factors for the AIAC withdrawing the DA was due to students and staff being intimidated by members of the community.
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Mr Milburn read from an email from the AIAC which said it was a primary reason they pulled back.
“The reason we threw the DA was based on one fundamental factor, the well-being of our staff and students and to provide them with a work environment where they feel included, not threatened by people in the community,” Mr Milburn read from the email.
The GM went on to mention a claim by the AIAC of a staff member being pushed up against a wall and threatened by a person opposing the development and students being intimidated by people going to the airport and ‘staring threateningly through the windows why they are going about their work’.
President of Save Kempsey Airport Action Group (SKAAG), Adam Ulrick, denies any involvement by SKAAG in these claims by the AIAC.
“SKAAG Inc has not and will not ever support any type of racial vilification. Given the serious nature of some of the claims by AIAC, evidence of reports to relevant authorities needs to be provided, otherwise it is just hearsay,” Mr Ulrick said.
“Council needs to apply due diligence before providing public commentary on matters of hearsay, as the potential damage to the reputation of council and the Macleay Valley far outweighs any perceived damage that a renegotiation of contracts with AIAC ever would have generated,” Mr Ulrick said.
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