Union boss demands $55,000 from mayor
A GOLD Coast construction union boss has hit up Mayor Tom Tate for $55,000 in compensation, alleging he defamed him online last week.
But Cr Tate is staring down the legal threat from Construction Mining Foresty and Energy Union (CFMEU) Gold Coast official Scott Vink’s lawyer, refusing to remove the Facebook post.
Broadbeach Law Group special counsel Jason Murakami has sent a letter to Cr Tate claiming the comments he posted on his mayoral Facebook page about Mr Vink were defamatory.
The letter, leaked to the Bulletin, claims Cr Tate’s post personally attacking Mr Vink last Thursday was false and likely to cause ridicule and contempt.
Cr Tate made the post after Mr Vink led construction workers in chants against the Mayor during a site visit of the Ruby towers development in Surfers Paradise last week.
Mayor Tate started his post by saying: “Well if the militant CFMEU union is throwing mud then I must be doing something right!”.
It went on to reference Mr Vink’s $9000 fine last year after he admitted verbally abusing non-union workers in Broadbeach in 2014.
A judge at the time called it “sheer thuggery” with “no place in the Australian workplace”.
On Mr Vink’s behalf, Mr Murakami is demanding a correction, removal of Cr Tate’s online post, no future public rants about his client and payment of $55,000 in damages.
“If you do not agree to the above offer to make amends, we have instructions from our client to forthwith commence proceedings against you without further notice,” Mr Murakami writes.
Cr Tate told the Bulletin yesterday he had received the letter from Mr Vink’s lawyer and intended to respond.
But Cr Tate said he wouldn’t be changing his Facebook post: “No, because it’s correct.”
He declined to comment when asked if he would pay any of the $55,000 damages requested.
It is the latest legal skirmish after the spotlight went back on the controversial 2016 council election’s candidate funding and developer donations.
Cr Tate is threatening to sue the ABC for a Four Corners story “All that Glitters” which focused on the council’s links to developers and Cr Tate’s business dealings.
Cr Tate said last week legal action was also “looming” for outspoken Cr Peter Young, who was quoted in the story saying the way council business and decisions were being conducted “perturb me”.
Yesterday, Cr Tate said action against the ABC and Cr Young was “in the hands of my lawyers”.
Mr Vink declined to comment on his legal threat to the Mayor.
Mr Vink told the Bulletin last week the Ruby protest wasn’t politically motivated but when asked if it was personal, he said: “I don’t like him and he doesn’t like me so if you can call that personal ...”.