Beattie, Tate ugly ‘tart’ row

THE two men tasked with ensuring next year’s Commonwealth Games are a success are in open warfare.

Mayor Tom Tate yesterday branded Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (GOLDOC) chairman Peter Beattie a media “tart” and said he was past his “political use-by date” and should “shut your mouth”.

In reply, Mr Beattie said he wanted to protect the reputation of the Games.

The spat is the latest in a Games row in which council CEO Dale Dickson has been criticised for buying 1800 tickets for councillors. Mr Beattie labelled the initial media reports an “act of bastardry designed to undermine the CEO”, whose contract is up for renewal at the end of year.

On Tuesday, Cr Tate ordered Mr Dickson hand over the tickets to stop “free-riding passengers” and yesterday unleashed a scathing attack on Mr Beattie: “If you’re chairman of GOLDOC, you concentrate on delivering the best Games possible ... and to mingle within the council and try to reprimand councillors that’s beyond his brief. (He’s) beyond his political use-by date and I would say to him, ‘mate, you’ve got a great job to do, deliver it and shut your mouth about politics. Move on’.

“The tart is overcooked ... chuck the tart out and just behave and deliver the best Games you can because if you don’t, I’ll be asking the Premier ‘let’s get a new tart’.”

Mayor Tate said it was important to use the ratepayer-paid ticket allocation to entice future benefit for the city.

As many as half the tickets could be returned to GOLDOC. “These tickets are leverage for future investment in our city but ... if there are people who are just in the position (of) getting free tickets and there’s no return for our city, I would be saying no to those ones.”

Mr Beattie yesterday said GOLDOC and council had a strong relationship. He declined to comment on Cr Tate’s attack, saying he wanted to “move on”.

“My job is to protect the reputation of the Games at all times and I will always stand up for what is in the Games’ best interest. GOLDOC will accept the return of any tickets and I welcome the Mayor’s initiative to sort out the council ticket issue.

“Council accepted the opportunity to purchase the tickets and how (it) chooses to use its tickets is a matter for it to decide alone.”