The spectacular spray, which Labor has slammed, came after Cr Winney-Baartz (ALP) had moved a motion that proclaimed council's spending on sports facilities but also highlighted how the city has been ineligible for state government funding to improve women's amenities.

The motion said that "since 2017, City of Newcastle has invested more than $87 million on the city's open spaces with $21.3 million of improvements to our existing [sporting] facilities delivered over this council term between 2017-2021".

It also noted that the council had "partnered with numerous ... organisations to deliver upgraded sporting facilities" and listed a number of key projects, including Number 1 Sportsground.

However, Cr Elliott tore strips off the motion.

"I have never heard such rubbish in all my life," she said.

"I have been holding forums with sporting groups across the city for the past few weeks, and I can tell you without a doubt not one of those sporting organisations I've spoken to has praised this council for doing anything good for them for female sport.

"And not only do you come in here and make all these grandiose statements about what you spend, but then you say it's the state government [and] kick the can down the road.

"It must be someone else's fault, it can't be ours. Well it is ours ... what have you done about it? Nothing ... other than to say we can't apply for the funding. Well let me tell you, you've got a lot of funding ... from the ratepayers you are ripping off."

Cr Elliott continued her spray talking about the fees some clubs in the city are charged before saying "bloody" and being cut off by lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes.

"You can not scream at another councillor and swear during a council meeting," Cr Nelmes said.

"I have finished, I'm leaving. Thank you lord mayor, lovely to not work with you again," Cr Elliott concluded.

"And if Wallsend booth is anything to go by, you're not going to get up."

After Cr Elliott departed, Cr Nelmes said she had "never seen anything like it".

"I just don't understand the motivation for that type of abuse," she said.

"It's so unacceptable that type of behaviour in a council meeting. We should not have to tolerate this in our workplace."

She then said Cr Elliott had "at no time brought a notice of motion or any correspondence to address these issues until there is an election campaign" .

Given a right of reply, Cr Winney-Baartz said she "was warned earlier today that was going to occur".

The clearly emotionally shaken councillor went on to say the Newcastle Independents had voted against the council's Strategic Sports Plan, which featured a "capital works rolling program" dependent on the "financial capability of the council".

"This work is not going to come from cherry-picking projects that councillors have particularly sought out," she said.

"Clubs have contacted me saying the Independents are promising them the world.

"No one has said how they're paying."

Cr Nelmes on Wednesday said the encounter was being treated as a "workplace incident", saying it brought one councillor to tears and upset two staff members.

Cr Elliott said her speech was "very passionate" and she left in frustration after hearing from sports groups in recent weeks of "indefensible neglect" of facilities.