Schrinner joke falls flat for GC Mayor
A DIG by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner asking why Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was absent from an Olympics luncheon has prompted the latter to say being at a “cosy lunch” wasn’t the right look while the Coast copped a weather battering.
Lord Mayor Schrinner took to the microphone at an Olympics Luncheon held in Brisbane on Friday and asked the 1000strong delegation if “anyone has seen Tom Tate here?’’. The Mayor is a notable absentee from the Olympics planning committee, and Mr Schrinner has noted the Gold Coast City Council withdrawal from the $300,000-a-year Council of Mayors when discussing the lack of elected representation from the Gold Coast. Mayor Tate said while he was due to attend the Olympics talkfest lunch, severe weather impacting the Gold Coast overnight forced him to reprioritise his schedule.
“We have severe beach scarping, trees down across the city and the chance of localised flooding so it would be poor form if I was all cosy at a luncheon in Brisbane while the city copped a battering,” Mr Tate said. “I love a good joke but the problem here is Adrian has made his remarks with complete disregard to what is happening on the ground. I sent two City officials to document any outcomes from the meeting.
“My role as Disaster Chair will always come before a good lunch.’’
Mayor Tate reiterated that with the Olympics and Paralympics still a decade away, there would be ample time for input at future lunches.
“I doubt Adrian used his time on the microphone to highlight the enormous debt Brisbane City Council is currently carrying ($3bn – up from $2.8bn last year).”