Fraser Coast Councillor James Hansen reprimanded over Facebook comments

A councillor and former One Nation candidate has been reprimanded over a comment made on the Fraser Coast’s council’s Facebook page.

Fraser Coast councillor James Hansen is in trouble for an offensive comment.

A Fraser Coast councillor and former One Nation candidate has been reprimanded over a “joke” comment posted on the council’s Facebook page.

James Hansen, a third-term councillor is an anti-vaxxer and has come under fire most recently over a Facebook comment suggesting the Wieambilla murders were staged “just like the Port Arthur Hoax”, though he has since claimed his account was hacked.

But at Wednesday’s council meeting, Mr Hansen came under fire over a different incident in which he made a comment under a photo of what appears to be one of the council’s parks and gardens employees.

“ … looks like he’s never done a day’s work in his like (sic),” his comment read.

Mr Hansen has since claimed he made the comment as a “joke” because the worker, who he believed was an actor and not an actual council employee, appeared to be wearing clean clothes.

A MacDonnells Law report published as part of the council’s January 2023 meeting agenda says the comment was posted under a storm season awareness post containing an image of a council worker.

At Wednesday’s meeting, it was revealed the report had cost the council $8000.

Mr Hansen spoke briefly before the rest of the councillors discussed the matter.

Fraser Coast Regional Council Cr James Hansen made an offensive comment.

He said if he’d known the person was a council employee, he would never have made the comment.

“I thought he was an actor engaged by council and it was intended as a joke based purely on the clothes he was wearing,” he said.

Mr Hansen said he had not apologised to the employee yet but he intended to do so.

Cr Denis Chapman said it was a tough ask of councillors to make a judgment against one of their own.

“I find it very hard to judge against one of our colleagues,” he said.

Councillor David Lee spoke in favour of the motion and said the situation had been independently assessed and the findings had been made objectively.

Councillor David Lewis also spoke, saying the matter had cost the council $8000.

He said while it was not expected that Mr Hansen pay any part of that, and he was not suggesting it on this occasion, that could change if there were similar incidents in the future.

The councillors ultimately voted unanimously to reprimand Mr Hansen, who left the room as the motion was debated.

The decision also means further misuse of social media by Mr Hansen will constitute misconduct.