Behrakis rap over Facebook posts
A HOBART alderman is in hot water after a Code of Conduct panel found a number of his Facebook posts embarrassed the mayor.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds lodged a complaint against Alderman Simon Behrakis, saying a number of his social media posts targeted her personally.
According to the panel decision: “Cr Reynolds alleged that during the relevant sixmonth period, many of Ald Behrakis’s public posts on his ‘Ald Simon Behrakis’ Facebook page were designed to damage her professional reputation and to incite his followers to make abusive and insulting statements about her.”
Cr Reynolds’ complaint referred to seven matters: AN article published on Ald Behrakis’s Facebook page (May 26, 2020) and on LinkedIn containing the phrase “Favours for mates” in reference to Cr Reynolds and “alleged manipulation of images of Cr Reynolds” on his Facebook page.
THE process of selection of a new general manager in October 2020 as related on Ald Behrakis’s Facebook page.
A FACEBOOK post regarding a parking issue in North Hobart (September 23, 2020). A FACEBOOK post regarding a Code of Conduct determination (August 20, 2020). A FACEBOOK post regarding Cr Reynolds’s published comments about funding decisions and the Taste of Tasmania (May 24, 2020).
THE publication of items listed above and subsequent posts on Ald Behrakis’s Facebook page from third parties.
The complaint also alleged that Ald Behrakis’s social media pages were regularly in breach of the Hobart City Council’s Social Media Guidelines policy.
According to the findings, the panel received a response to the complaint from Ald Behrakis on January 19, 2021, which was sent to Cr Reynolds. Cr Reynolds requested a hearing be held — which was done on April 27.
As part of the hearing, Ald Behrakis said if the Code of Conduct complaint were upheld it would “unreasonably restrict him from freely expressing his views on political matters”. He also said it “would be unduly onerous” to constantly monitor thirdparty comments on his social media posts.
When scrutinising the “Favours for mates” Facebook post, the panel said the term in a political context “implies wrongdoing” and found the post breached the Code of Conduct.
“Ald Behrakis was unable to give good reason for the use of this phrase and could not provide evidence that there was any particular friendship between Cr Reynolds and the Mayor of Glenorchy to justify the use of mates,” the decision reads.
“Third-party comments used the words ‘corrupt’ and ‘dodgy’, indicating that Ald Behrakis’s readers interpreted his phrasing as indicating wrongdoing by Cr Reynolds.”
The panel dismissed Cr Reynolds’s complaint that Ald Behrakis altered and coloured images of the mayor in his posts, stating it was “not necessarily unfair, offensive, or embarrassing”.
Cr Reynolds said she welcomed the panel’s decision.
“It confirms my own opinion: that on a number of occasions Ald Behrakis’s posts crossed the line of what is acceptable in political debate,” she said.
“I don’t shy away from robust debate on policy issues, but basic respect is essential and personal attacks are never OK. It’s also not OK to misrepresent council decisions, which the panel found
Ald Behrakis did on a number of occasions.”
Cr Reynolds said the community expects councillors to “maintain standards of civility and call out unacceptable behaviour when we see it”.
“Unless we can create spaces where everyone is able to share their opinion without being subject to bullying and abuse – politics will never attract the diversity of representation it so badly needs.”
Ald Behrakis has been directed to apologise to Cr Reynolds and the council at Monday’s meeting.
But the councillor says he “categorically disagrees” with the panel’s suggestions.
“This decision does, however, vindicate the almost unanimous decision by LGAT to declare a motion of no confidence in the Code of Conduct process, due to the inconsistent decisions, the vague and ever-shifting goalposts and the vulnerability of the process to be weaponised by those seeking to silence political opposition,” he said.