Mayor dines out on eel to save swans as Bundall lake debate heats up

MAYOR Tom Tate has a message for residents and environmentalists fighting to save the Black Swan Lake — if you are worried about the swans, start eating the eels.

MAYOR Tom Tate has a message for residents and environmentalists fighting to save the Black Swan Lake — if you are worried about the swans, start eating the eels.

On his Facebook page the Mayor has posted a photograph of himself eating eel at a sushi restaurant in Southport.

A Gold Coast Bulletin report today revealed the details of independent scientific tests which showed the water quality in the lake had been improving and it was not a toxic cesspit.

A majority of councillors voted to allow the Gold Coast Turf Club to fill in the lake and residents are preparing for trappers to move in either tonight or before the week’s end in the lead-up to the filling what council refers to as the “borrow pit”.

The bird life at Black Swan Lake. Photo by Richard Gosling

The Mayor on his Facebook page repeated his comments on a commercial radio station this morning where he said the biggest threat to the swans was the eels “taking” their young.

“So I recommended to the greenies that the best thing that they do was eat some eel for lunch — I’m doing my bit for the swans at Sushi Train Southport, eating some lovely eel for lunch,” he said.

The comments immediately split readers who either gave the Mayor total support or strongly criticised him.

“Just an awful and tasteless gutter statement. The biggest threats to these swans is clearly you,” a resident wrote.

But another resident backed the Mayor adding “maybe some Greenie Eel, deep fried with sweet dipping source”.