Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk forced to apologise for ‘sexist’, ‘catty’ gesture

BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor has been called “sexist” and forced to apologise after making “clawing” gestures that implied a female councillor was being “catty” as she criticised Brisbane planning boss Julian Simmonds.

Cr Nicole Johnston said the Lord Mayor was implying she was being “catty” when he made a “clawing” gesture while she was speaking. Picture: AAP/ Ric Frearson.

BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor was called “sexist” and forced to apologise after making “clawing” gestures that implied a female councillor was being “catty” as she criticised Brisbane’s planning boss.

In the final hours of the budget debates on Thursday, Cr Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) was railing against the administration when she responded to interjections from City Planning chairman Julian Simmonds.

“Yeah yeah, Cr Simmonds, just bugger off and go and campaign,” Cr Johnston said.

“No-one’s interested, you’re redundant, you’re redundant and you’ve already knocked Prentice off. Just go out there and raise some money from some developers. Leave us alone.”

Cr Simmonds stepped down from his planning role last night, about a month after winning LNP preselection for the federal seat of Ryan over assistant minister Jane Prentice.

Cr Johnston continued before interrupting her own speech.

“For the record, the Lord Mayor’s got his hands out and he’s clawing at Cr Simmonds,” she said.

“So, I presume that is some sort of female insult directed towards me in the chamber by the Lord Mayor of our city … I presume he’s trying to imply I’m being catty.”

Cr Julian Simmonds (Walter Taylor) has stepped down as Brisbane’s City Planning chairman as he campaigns for the federal election. Picture: AAP/John Gass

The chamber erupted before Finance and Economic Development chairwoman Krista Adams stood to say Cr Johnston was misleading the chamber.

The council chairwoman Angela Owens said she did not see the hand gesture and disciplined Labor Councillor Kara Cook (Morningside) for laughing.

“I can’t see how that is funny, Cr Cook,” she said.

Cr Cook immediately called out “I find it funny because everyone in the Chamber saw it”.

Cr Jonathan Sri also stood to say he witnessed “an act of disorder which I took, perhaps, to be a sexist gesture”.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk responded and did not address whether he had made clawing gestures or not but did insist Cr Johnston’s comments about Cr Simmonds were imputing motive.

“I think that she owes Cr Simmonds an apology and ought to withdraw,” he said.

Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Graham Quirk. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

Cr Owens asked Cr Johnston to withdraw the comment twice and twice the independent councillor refused.

She said Cr Simmonds commitment to raise $80,000 for his political campaign, made while he was planning chairman, was a “matter of public record”.

“I will not withdraw anything and I draw to you attention that Cr Simmonds was heckling me all the way through my speech and the Lord Mayor did rude gestures,” she said.

“All of this is distracting from the fact that the LNP councillors are being disorderly in this place and the Lord Mayor is trying to cover it up.”

Cr Cook then rose to her feet to defend Cr Johnston.

“I witnessed the Lord Mayor’s actions in intending to claw at Cr Simmonds whilst Cr Johnston was speaking,” she said.

“I find that sexist and misogynistic and ask that he apologise to Cr Johnston, and every other woman in this chamber, for that action.”

This time, Cr Quirk did apologise.

“Madam chairman, I will. I will apologise. And I will unreservedly withdraw,” he said.

“But Madam Chairman it needs to be said that was done in the context of what was an emotive, what was imputed against Cr Simmonds by (Cr Johnston).”

The Lord Mayor has previously been called out for being sexist in the council chamber by the former Councillor for Morningside, Shayne Sutton.

Cr Kara Cook (Morningside) demanded Cr Quirk apologise for his “sexist” gesture. Picture: Jono Searle.

His apology was met with outcry from opposition deputy leader Jared Cassidy.

“Doesn’t make it okay, mate. You may have been elected in 1985 but it’s not 1985 anymore,” he said.

Cr Owens disciplined Cr Cassidy and said his conduct, yelling out across the chamber, would be noted in the minutes.

“Now, can we please get back to what we are here to debate, which is the resolution of rates and charges (for the budget),” she said.

Cr Johnston asked how much time she had left to speak and was advised she had one minute and four seconds.

“Excellent,” Cr Johnston said.