Brisbane Lord Mayor accused of ‘victim blaming’ over ‘sexist’ remark

BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has denied a claim of sexist behaviour after his parks boss was accused of inappropriate conduct in a heated dispute over whether a female councillor was described as a witch.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk

BRISBANE Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has denied a claim he engaged in sexist behaviour after his parks boss was accused of inappropriate conduct in a heated dispute over whether a female councillor was described as a witch.

In an exchange of political barbs, Labor councillor Kara Cook (Morningside) said that in June Cr Quirk had apologised after making a clawing gesture towards councillor Nicole Johnston (Tennyson).

Cr Cook said at a committee meeting that morning, the Parks, Sustainability and Environment chairman had used a quote from Macbeth to imply the same councillor was a witch.

“What will you do to stop this ongoing sexist harrassment?” she asked

The incident happened during a committee debate where Cr Johnston repeatedly asked how ratepayers’ money was being spent by the Oxley Creek Transformation company.

“I’m just asking now, before I refer it off to the CCC (Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland) and the ombudsman … because I asked for information and you haven’t provided it,” Cr Johnston said.

Cr Nicole Johnston. Picture: AAP/ Ric Frearson

Parks chairman David McLachlan said a response had already been provided to her question when she submitted it as a written question on notice to the council.

That answer was that information relating to the questions would be found in the company’s annual report, which it was preparing.

During the meeting, Cr McLachlan steepled his fingers underneath his chin and tapped them together and said “toil and trouble, toil and trouble” and then laughed.

The quote is from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and is said by a coven of three witches gathered round a cauldron.

“What? What’s wrong with you?” Cr Johnston said.

Cr Quirk said he was not at the committee and rejected the claim that such harassment was “happening in any significant way”.

Cr Quirk insisted the word “witch” was not used in the committee and that council was a place of theatre and robust debate where Cr Johnston “gives as good as she gets and more” and at this Cr Cook stood.

“If the Lord Mayor is just going to continue to blame the victim, and argue that she gives as good as she gets, he should not be able to make those remarks in the chamber, it’s just perpetuating the same course of conduct,” Cr Cook said.

Parks, Envrionment and Sustainability chairman David McLachlan

Cr Quirk said that he understood that Cr McLachlan had steepled his fingers in imitation of Cr Johnston making the same gesture as she spoke of taking her concerns to the CCC.

Later, LNP Cr Fiona King (Marchant) told The Courier-Mail she saw Cr Johnston make that gesture.

At the meeting, Cr Johnston furiously insisted she did not make such a gesture.

At one point, daring the council chairwoman to “kick her out”, Cr Johnston rose and said Cr McLachlan had rubbed his hands together and repeatedly said “toil and trouble”

“It is a mocking and belittling gesture implying that I was a witch. It’s been done by this chairman only weeks after the Lord Mayor implied I was catty in this place as well.

“They are sexist, inappropriate remarks.”

The Lord Mayor finished by saying it behoved “all of us” to to behave in a proper manner, whether they were male, female or chose any other form of description.

Cr Kara Cook (Morningside)