Jewish Council of Australia urges Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson to apologise over ‘liking’ racist comments
Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson has issued an apology for ‘liking’ racist comments posted on his official social media page — including an idea to have the indigenous community operate a ‘rickshaw-type carriage service’ to improve public transport.
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Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson has issued an apology for ‘liking’ racist comments posted on his official social media page — including an idea to have the indigenous community operate a ‘rickshaw-type carriage service’ to improve public transport.
The Jewish Council of Australia condemned an allegedly anti-Semitic comment left by a third-party on the beleaguered politician’s official Mayor Troy Thompson Facebook page.
Rather than deleting or condemning the offensive, rambling comment that accuses Queensland Premier Steven Miles and LNP leader David Crisafulli of being aligned with “communists” and “Jews”, Mr Thompson likes the response with a thumbs up and even replies.
Mr Thompson, in a reply that is also hard to decipher, says he has his own “views on all”.
“As people are aware, I’m not a party person, simply because I won’t tow (sic) the line, we had that for 12 years, and look where we are now.”
He eventually backed down and deleted the comment overnight Thursday after the Bulletin asked questions.
Dr Max Kaiser, executive officer of the Jewish council, said Mr Thompson’s original response gave the impression that he appeared to endorse the comment that represented “reprehensible anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Jewish control of world affairs”.
“They are a worrying sign of an indulgence of far right and fascist ideas,” Dr Kaiser said.
“Troy Thompson should publicly apologise and repudiate these racist sentiments.”
When the Bulletin put these concerns to the mayor on Thursday afternoon, he played down the offensive nature of the comment.
“I refute any claims by the Townsville Bulletin of this nature, once again a statement made about the current state election is taken out of context to gain further clicks on a slow news day.”
He said his comment was “crystal clear”, and repeated his online response.
“My comment can not be any clearer, there is nothing further to be said.”
He did not answer any questions about the anti-Semitic post on his Facebook page or why he liked it.
In a fresh post on Thursday night, Mr Thompson said he had removed the comment and thread.
“I do not and will never condone racism of any kind of mistreatment towards anyone, the comments have been removed.”
And in another post about public transport feedback on the Mayor Troy Thompson Facebook page on Thursday, a commentator put forth a racist suggestion to employ Indigenous youth to run a ‘rickshaw’ type carriage service” for commuters in the Townsville CBD and Strand.
Instead of deleting or criticising the vile post, which remained on the mayor’s Facebook page for eight hours, Mr Thompson liked it with a thumbs up.
After questions were again put to the mayor on why he was liking racist commentary on his social media account, he deleted the comment.
In response to the second post before it was removed, Mr Thompson thanked the “Bulletin for following my page and assisting to grow it” but attacked its reputation.
“It does not serve Townsville City well when the masthead attempts to bring reputational damage to council by attacking its mayor,” he said.
An official complaint regarding the anti-Semitic comment and “conduct of Mayor Troy Thompson of the Townsville City Council” was laid with the Office of the Independent Assessor on Wednesday.
The OIA, in an email to the complainant, confirmed on Thursday that the complaint was “undergoing assessment”.
“This means the OIA is undertaking preliminary inquiries to determine if your complaint raises a reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct, misconduct or a conduct breach, and how your complaint should be dealt with.”
A Townsville City Council spokesman said it did not “operate any councillors’ social media pages, including the Mayor Troy Thompson Facebook page”.
“All councillors must abide by social media use guidelines provided to them by the Local Government Association of Queensland.”
In a 630-word “media statement” on his Mayor Troy Thompson Facebook page on Friday afternoon, Mr Thompson begins by accusing the media of attempting to “bring down the reputation of Townsville City Council by attacking the mayor”.
It is not until he reaches over the 200-word mark that he apologises for two comments on two separate posts that denigrated members of the Jewish and First Nations communities.
He does not address why he liked each of the comments and directly responded to one with a comment.
Mr Thompson said he apologised “for comments made toward the Jewish community by a member of the public on my social media page”.
“I do not and would never condone such behaviour, these comments have been removed, and I extend my sincerest apologises (sic) to the Jewish community here and abroad.”
He claimed the second offensive comment about the indigenous community was brought to his attention, despite the Troy Thompson account clearly previously liking the post.
“I do not condone or accept racism ever, on any level.”
Mr Thompson, in the remainder of his media statement then continues to deflect, attacking the Bulletin.
“For the Townsville Bulletin to assume this is anything other than a community comment is a terrible reflection on them, and them only,” he alleged.
“Every week, I continue to work closely with the indigenous community.”
In June, the mayor was advised by Queensland’s council watchdog to reaquaint himself with the code of conduct after multiple complaints were lodged concerning his use of social media.
The OIA specifically recommended that Mayor Thompson remind himself of the standards of behaviour councillors must adhere to, which include treating people in a “reasonable, just, respectful, and non-discriminatory way.”
Mr Thompson, who has links to far-right Australian conspiracy group My Place, is being investigated by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (QCCC) into allegedly false claims about his military service and university qualifications.
The mayor has been asked by Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon to show cause as to why he should not be booted from his role on council while the QCCC probe continues.
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