Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate defends hiring of trainer Serguei Chestakov as his bodyguard and driver

Mayor Tom Tate has defended the hiring of a friend and gym trainer to serve as his bodyguard, hitting back at critics of the controversial move. FIND OUT MORE

Mayor Tom Tate has defended the hiring of his friend and gym trainer to serve as his bodyguard, insisting it was not a “jobs for the boys” situation.

Serguei Chestakov was appointed to the part-time role by the office of the Mayor after a suggestion from council CEO Tim Baker after knowing Mr Tate for more than 20 years, having also been a business associate.

The move has ruffled feathers at city hall, with some questioning the appointment of Mr Chestakov.

Mr Tate, speaking for the first time about the controversy after returning from Singapore, said his predecessors, including Lex Bell and Gary Baildon, had been assigned drivers and insisted it was above board.

Tom Tate working out with Sergei Chestakov in 2007.

“When the CEO walked around with me, he just realised how many people come up, some are friendly, others are intoxicated, and he felt that I am very exposed and in my mind, if we are going to get a driver and bodyguard, let it be that the person can do both because it will save us time,” he said.

“I agreed with him that I attend late-night functions and a lot of the time I have my wife with me and I can defend myself but, while she’s not a target, she’s next to me.

Mr Tate insisted Mr Chestakov was fully skilled for the role.

“I bet my life on it,” he said.

Mr Tate said multiple people had submitted applications for the job after it was advertised but that he had not been involved in the hiring, however he refused to discuss his relationship with Mr Chestakov.

When asked whether it was a “job for the boys”, he said it was a “job for the best qualifications”.

“The process was totally independent from me,” he said.

“I was pleased it all came together.

Sergei Chestakov Picture: David Clark

“If you are going to have someone, you want someone you can trust.”

Mr Tate has long been the target of protests during his reign at city hall over his support for controversial developments including a cruise ship terminal and cableway.

In recent months anti-Israeli protesters have laid siege to the chambers during meetings over council’s refusal to terminate its sister city arrangement with Israel over the war in the Middle East.

Mr Tate said “times had changed” since he was first elected in 2012 and that he had been updated by the Queensland Police about threats made against him, something he said he took seriously.

The mayor declined to discuss the nature of the threats made against him.

He said he wanted the bodyguard role to continue “until the end of the term in 2028”.

“I say to the community I think the mayor has earned protection because I’m the spokesman for whatever the issues may be,” he said.

“The more I talk about the threats, the more I fear they will become emboldened and it becomes real.

“The next person after me will want to have security and it is a sad thing that this is an issue but I have never seen so many loud protests outside the chamber.

“The CEO is looking at more security for the chambers.”