BUNCH OF PUSSIES
Mayor blasts watchdog over Chinese cat ‘might be breakfast’ probe, refuting he is Dr Evil or Chairman Meow: It’ll cost ratepayers $50,000 in legal fees, which I’m not feline OK about, so stop kitten yourself
MAYOR Tom Tate faces an investigation that will cost ratepayers $50,000 after making what he considers a humorous remark about Chinese people eating cats.
The Office of the Independent Assessor has asked for a “please explain” after he last year said a cat next to a Chinese person “might be breakfast”.
But the Mayor says it will be ratepayers who suffer for the frivolous scrutiny and wonders what the problem is as he’s 51 per cent Chinese anyway.
MAYOR Tom Tate is being investigated for inappropriate conduct after making what he considers a humorous remark about Chinese people eating cats.
The Mayor says the investigation will waste more than $50,000 of ratepayers money in legal fees.
Worse still, he regards it as “double standards” because senior State MPS are escaping prosecution for worse behaviour, despite Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saying she will clampdown on poor ministerial behaviour.
Outside a disaster management conference in Townsville in March last year, Mr Tate urged residents not to bring their pets to shelters during emergencies.
“You wouldn’t want to put a Chinese next to someone who’s got a cat, you know. She might be breakfast. You’ve got to work those things out,” he said.
He later apologised for his “clumsy sense of humour”, adding “there was no intention to cause offence” – but now faces more scrutiny after the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) intervened.
Mr Tate says he is frustrated about the latest complaint against him, adding he had already faced “74 without a conviction”.
He has questioned how Deputy Premier Steven Miles did not face a similar investigation for a slip-up at a rally last May in which he called the Prime Minister the c-word.
Mr Miles told ALP supporters: “Albo’s (Anthony Albanese) here with us at Labour Day while Scott Morrison’s charging $5000 a head to have dinner with him. What a cun... contrast.”
The Deputy Premier grinned and laughed, later blaming his stutter.
Mr Tate told the Bulletin: “OK, so he apologised promptly. I don’t see any repercussions from the integrity office. They (State MPS) are not held to the higher standard. It’s swept under the carpet.”
The Mayor said his mother’s side was of Chinese heritage and a DNA test had confirmed he was “51 per cent Chinese”.
He said he could not understand how the Independent Assessor could launch an investigation because the remarks would not be offensive or racist to her as a nonChinese person.
“You have to be of Chinese descent to be discriminated against,” Mr Tate said, adding that none of his Chinese friends or the Asian community had reached out to complain. There will be no change out of $50,000 defending it. Council will be paying for that,” Mr Tate said.
“The whole thing here – is this double standard when Steven Miles can call the PM the c-word. Here I’ve been trying (as a disaster management committee leader) to get a message out about not bringing your pets, it’s not discriminating against the Chinese.
“I think I have grounds to take her (the Independent Assessor) to the racial discrimination board. Would I do that? For the fun of it – but no I wouldn’t waste people’s money. My Chinese friends are laughing about it.”
An OIA spokesperson told the Bulletin: “The OIA did not investigate Mayor Tate in this matter.
“The OIA did raise a complaint in the public interest after the comment was widely reported in media with comments in social media, including from people with Asian heritage.”
It was assessed as potential inappropriate conduct which is low-level conduct, the OIA said.
“The OIA must, by law, refer inappropriate conduct matters to council to investigate in accordance with its investigation policy. The OIA cannot investigate this type of conduct. The OIA has had no involvement in this matter since May 4, 2021.”
The Bulletin understands the OIA, in referring the issue back to the council, took into account the Mayor’s apology, social media comments and the Coast having sister-city arrangements with Chinese cities and its high visitor market to the Coast.
Councillors will assess the complaint and can refer it to the Councillor Conduct Tribunal for advice before making a final decision.
The Mayor’s criticism of the OIA follows his strong attacks on Crime and Corruption Commission boss Alan Macsporran who has resigned one month after a damning report identified failings within the watchdog. He left his office on Friday.
Mr Tate, who was investigated by the CCC and cleared in 2020 after an 18-month probe, said he believed the organisation needed to be held accountable for its failures as well as its successes.
“From this Friday, I know the weather across Queensland will be much brighter and I will no longer have that feeling of something warm running down my back,” Mr Tate said in reference to a Bulletin front page in February last year that depicted both men in a CCC shootout.