Adelaide City councillor Anne Moran sparks fury with ‘misogynist’ remark about Team Adelaide

A veteran Adelaide City councillor has sparked fury by calling her male counterparts “misogynists”. Watch what happened here.

Ongoing tensions within Adelaide City Council have reached unprecedented levels, with elected members sniping at each other through emails.

Veteran councillor Anne Moran has triggered the latest stoush by accusing the dominant Team Adelaide faction and its leader, Alexander Hyde, of being “misogynist”.

The slur came during a fiery debate on Tuesday night over appointments of elected members to paid committee positions, with Cr Moran claiming they had been stacked by male members of Team Adelaide, who include prominent anti-domestic violence campaigner Arman Abrahimzadeh.

It followed a decision three hours earlier by elected members to approve a motion by Cr Hyde to contribute $100,000 towards a memorial celebrating the courage of women.

“This council has gone to a misogynist view of women,” said Cr Moran. “This is a misogynistic chamber.”

Councillor Anne Moran addresses the Adelaide City Council meeting. Picture: Colin James

The comment sparked fury from Cr Hyde, who described it as “disgraceful” and demanded it be withdrawn.

“This is completely inappropriate,” said Cr Hyde. “That is so irreprehensible.

“That needs to be withdrawn. We have a domestic violence campaigner here in the chamber.

“For her to claim this is a misogynistic chamber is disgraceful.”

Cr Moran refused to apologise or withdraw the remark, despite being asked to by Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor.

“I am not going to apologise,” said Cr Moran.

So according to Anne Moran, I alongside most other council colleagues are misogynists. What about my work with @OurWatchAus @WhiteRibbonAust @Zahra_Aust or the fact that at that same meeting we as a council committed $100k to a memorial dedicated to domestic violence victims. pic.twitter.com/oCtlRc5WvB

— Arman Abrahimzadeh (@ArmaniZadeh) February 10, 2021

The dispute continued on Wednesday morning, when Cr Moran copied journalists in on an email to Ms Verschoor, saying action needed to be taken against Cr Hyde for asking whether the council needed an affirmative action policy.

“You jump all over Phil (Martin) but all he says is Team Adelaide a lot which should not be offensive to you as that’s what they called themselves and he debates hard,” she wrote.

“Hyde on the other hand along with his offsider (Jessy) Khera is constantly personally offensive to us and you I can’t understand why you put up with it.
“Anyway I will stop going on but this is an unhappy unfair council that does not support women.

Veteran Adelaide City councillor Anne Moran (second from right) with Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Couros (left) and councillor Helen Donovan (right).

Cr Moran said she “couldn’t believe my ears” when Cr Hyde asked whether an affirmative action policy was needed on the council.

“I have never heard anyone on council say anything like that before. In all my time, I have never felt so belittled by the young male councillors. Please do something.”

Cr Moran also sent the email to Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Couros, prompting Cr Couros to send a rare reply to Cr Moran, defending Cr Hyde.

“Calling Councillor Hyde a ‘misogynist’ was not appropriate as Councillor Hyde has always been supportive to women,” she said.

“ … may I suggest that next time you ask him to explain his comment rather than calling him names, causing outbursts among elected members.”

Elected members listen to Cr Anne Moran at the Adelaide Town Hall. Picture: Colin James

Cr Couros told Cr Moran a “division in this council has been set in stone from the first meeting we had in council”.

“I would say that if you feel very strongly about someone’s behaviour you have the ability to issue a complaint rather than sending emails and including the media,” she said.

“I have always said I have much respect for your position in council the past 25 years and I would have hoped … we would have started this year much better than the past two years.”

Cr Moran responded by telling Cr Couros to remember Cr Hyde had “reluctantly” withdrawn from the deputy lord mayoral contest “when he realised we were backing you and thus had the numbers”.

“He clearly thought he had more merit than you,” she said. “How insulting is that???”

Cr Couros said on Thursday that she had responded to Cr Moran’s email because Cr Hyde “always supported me to become Deputy Lord Mayor and he has been an invaluable asset to me since”.

“The only reason I was ever reluctant to take on the role was because I was worried of being subjected to the same daily bullying that he received, and clearly continues to receive,” she said.

Adelaide Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Couros listens to Cr Anne Moran’s speech. Picture: Colin James

Cr Hyde said he had been the subject of insults from Cr Moran since the new council was elected two years ago.

“This is just the latest dose of Cr Moran’s daily insults and I am honestly loathe to respond because I think she thrives on it,” he said.

“I’ll let the comments from my female colleagues speak for themselves regarding my world views, experience and conduct.”

Asked to comment, Cr Abrahimzadeh said Tuesday’s incident highlighted the need for some elected members to improve their behaviour.

“It is pattern of behaviour which happens quite frequently and it needs to stop,” he said.

Factionalism within the council has been examined in a report due to be made public later this month.