Mayor target of threats
GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has brushed off the appearance of a death threat spray-painted on to a concrete barrier at The Spit.
The words “Die Tom Tate” were written in bold, black spray paint in a public parking area.
It is not the first time Cr Tate has been delivered a graffitied death threat with the words “Kill Tom Tate” painted on the sand pumping jetty earlier this year.
Other councillors have also been targeted by threatening messages via email and social media.
Cr Tate said he was more concerned by the vandalism of the barrier than the content of the graffiti.
“Graffiti is a crime so the criminal who did this obviously has no respect for our beautiful city or the families visiting The Spit,” he said.
“Council spends more than $500,000 a year cleaning up after these grubs.”
Cr Tate did not offer a comment on what the graffiti said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk put an end to the latest proposal –a $3 billion integrated resort development pro moted by the ASF Consortium.
Save Our Spit leader Steven Gration, who joined the Premier at The Spit when she announced her decision in early August, said the graffiti did not come from anyone related to the Save Our Spit pressure group.
“I would be highly suspect of the timing and the motivation and why it appeared on The Spit of all places,” Dr Gration said.“It may well be one of the tactics to garner sympathy (for Cr Tate).”
Dr Gration said it could not be proven that a supporter of Tate was not behind the graffiti.
He said Save Our Spit was not immune to insults and had been the subject of many abusive messages online.
Cr Tate dismissed the suggestion that one of his supporters may have been responsible for the graffiti. “Such a ridiculous comment doesn’t even warrant a response,” he said.
The mayor is not the only councillor who has been on the end of abuse.
Surfers Paradise councillor Gary Baildon said it was “part of the job”, adding he was outraged by the graffiti left at The Spit.
“Really, these people should be jailed,” he said.
“It’s not just the graffiti, it’s the content – in my book that is a threat.”
Cr Baildon said the concrete barriers had only recently been painted to cover graffiti. But none of that earlier graffiti had contained threats.
Coomera councillor Cameron Caldwell said he had been subjected to one serious threat but had received other abuse.
“We welcome community input,” he said.
“But it’s completely inappropriate to personally attack people who are elected to public office.”