NEIL MITCHELL EXCLUSIVE

The political independence of the City of Melbourne has been called into question by its own Deputy Lord Mayor in an explosive interview with Neil Mitchell this morning.

Click PLAY to hear the explosive interview

Arron Wood left no doubt about his disgust after his council last night voted to keep alive the proposal of a heroin injecting room near the Queen Victoria Market.

A motion to reject the site was defeated in favour of a push by Lord Mayor Sally Capp to continue consultation with the government.

The council voted to accept that Victoria requires a second shooting gallery and that their municipality is the place for it.

That was despite initial claims from Ms Capp herself that the council was not consulted when Daniel Andrews announced the plan.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood, who put up the initial motion to reject the site, signaled to Ms Capp that the fight was not over.

“It was a really split council last night,” he said.

“The Lord Mayor dropped her motion five minutes before the meeting so it didn’t leave a lot of time to consider that and try to come to a consensus.

“I feel like a lot of politics is being played with a very serious issue.”

Neil Mitchell: You must find it hard to work with the Lord Mayor after that?

Mr Wood: Look, probably last night was the most difficult I’ve found it. For someone who talks a lot of people not politics, there was a heck of a lot of politics going on.

Click PLAY for the full interview