Eurobodalla councillor Peter Schwarz has claimed there was no malice involved in an email he sent to outgoing general manager Paul Anderson, which depicted Mr Anderson being blown up.
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Cr Schwarz sent the controversial video, titled “Hasta La Vista baby”, to Mr Anderson on Thursday – the day before the general manager finished up at council.
The video is about five seconds long and shows a missile in the sky exploding into multiple fragments and landing on video footage of Mr Anderson’s face, which then blows up.
Cr Schwarz denied making the video, but said it was created using an iPhone application and was sent to Mr Anderson as a joke.
“It was a private message between me and Paul and we both saw the funny side of it,” he said.
“No malice was intended on the video.”
However the email has been slammed by Cr Schwarz’s colleagues.
Cr Rob Pollock said it was an “astonishingly immature” move from the deputy mayor.
“There’s no other way to interpret it,” he said.
“It would be pleasing to see him put as much work into research and reading his council papers as he did imagining something as infantile as this.”
Cr Pollock said the video sent the message that Cr Schwarz was happy to see the end of Mr Anderson's tenure.
“That’s basically was what it says and to claim anything else is just rubbish,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lindsay Brown is seeking advice on Cr Schwarz's actions.
“I understand a video was sent to the general manager, however, there is a process to go through now and I will be taking necessary advice from the relevant authorities,” he said.
“I’m in the process of looking at all the issues and at this stage we’re taking it very seriously.”
The Bay Post/Moruya Examiner sought comment from Mr Anderson, but was unable to contact him.
Cr Brown said he understood that Mr Anderson was “not impressed” by the video.
However Cr Schwarz claimed Mr Anderson emailed him back, simply saying: “Lol, good luck with the Logies best director and best producer categories”.
Cr Schwarz said it was “pathetic” that the email was considered newsworthy.
“I don’t think private jokes should be released into the public domain," he said.
“It was taken in good humour and it was light-hearted and there’s no malice.”
