Inside story on Mayor Tate Tate’s ‘hush hush’ visit to Hanoi
Tom Tate is defending a mayoral mission in Vietnam with a real estate agent business associate – while on holiday – which has some councillors fuming. Watch the video
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Tom Tate is defending a mayoral mission in Vietnam with a real estate agent business associate – while on holiday – which has some councillors fuming.
The third-term Gold Coast Mayor organised the mayoral stop in Vietnam, with high-profile Surfers Paradise real estate company principal Roland Evans joining him.
The pair met Vietnam’s most high-ranking political figures.
The trip has landed as a political bombshell back home, stunning some councillors with sources saying many are “furious” after only recently learning of the December trip.
A search by the Bulletin shows the Mayor was photographed at the official meetings in Vietnam with Mr Evans.
Mr Tate defended the visit, saying it was self-funded and aimed at the Coast becoming the first city to benefit from trade opportunities with Vietnam post-Covid.
A source close to councillors said: “It was in none of the reports. Vietnam was not on the list, it wasn’t part of the (International and Investment Trade) program.
“He (the Mayor) was on annual leave. He had appointed an acting Mayor. He took someone who was a member of the public.
“It’s problematic. If you’re on holiday, take a holiday. If you are going to Vietnam take a holiday, go for a holiday not a mayoral thing. If you are doing a mayoral thing, send an email (to the councillors). He just does what he wants.”
Councillors say they knew none of the detail of the Vietnam visit until it was briefly referred to in a mayoral minute at 2023’s first full council meeting on Monday.
The Bulletin is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Mr Tate or Mr Evans.
The Bulletin asked the Mayor whether the trip was part of the City’s International and Investment Trade Program and about Mr Evans’ role.
“The trip was self-funded. I advised Full Council of the outcomes during Monday’s meeting,” Mr Tate said.
“At the end of my presentation, the motion was put that my report was welcomed and noted by council, which it was unanimously.
“It’s important to understand South-East Asia is a key market for our city. That has been identified through our International Trade Investment Program.
“I want our city to be first in line when it comes to trade opportunities with Vietnam, post Covid. These meetings have set the scene for official mayoral trade missions in the future where we will invite local businesses to attend, at their cost.’’
The Mayor did not reference Mr Evans’ role in response to the Bulletin but the high-flying businessman told the Bulletin on Wednesday: “Well it was a private trip, it wasn’t any official trip at all.
“It was fully funded privately by myself for my journey, and what the Mayor did was up to him,” Mr Evans said.
“It was privately funded by him, it wasn’t an official journey at all. I just supported him in some of the roles that he done. It just wasn’t an official journey at all, it was a private trip.
“I’ve been friends with the Mayor since 2001. So I just accompanied him in a supporting role for what he was doing. It certainly wasn’t any official trip at all.”
Asked about his background in Vietnam, Mr Evans said he was a regular visitor.
“We’ve been through Covid and it’s important we go back and meet the people we previously met,” he said. “As soon as the travel gates opened it’s important ... to rekindle all of those contacts.”
In 2022, Mr Evans was part of a “mayoral mission” to the United Kingdom attended by 67 businesses - he then told the Bulletin it was aimed to “showcase the Gold Coast with all it has to offer”.
At Monday’s full council meeting Mr Tate said he was on a “mayoral visit to Vietnam” between December 6-8 where he met People’s Committee chairman Tran Sy Thanh. Later meetings involved key industry and airline leaders.
“I was able to learn more about identifying Hanoi and possible synergy for further engagement,” he said.
“Vietnam is one of Australia’s fastest-growing trade markets in the ASEAN region. The long term outlook of Australian and Vietnam trade relationships remains positive. This trip was self funded.”
Mr Evans last year made the Gold Coast’s top 20 most powerful real estate agents list
having secured contracts with some of the city’s most prominent figures including selling
the former Mermaid Beach cinema site for $16m to developer Jim Raptis.
He has represented several major Chinese developers who hold large Gold Coast property interests, including Songcheng, which had hoped to build a theme park at Carrara.
The Canford Estate Principal in 2020 sold Mr Tate’s riverfront Sorrento home and a year later secured a $22m sale of the Surfers Paradise Bowls Club site owned by a consortium including the Mayor.
Council insiders see the Vietnam trip plus recent Bruce Bishop car park vote as key moments for the Mayor where he risks losing majority support on pet issues in the chamber in the final year of his third-term.
Some experienced younger councillors like planning chair Cameron Caldwell are being touted as mayoral candidates in March next year.
A super majority of councillors at full council on Monday had voted 12-2 not to sell the Surfers Paradise car park. The Mayor had argued previously to sell the ageing public asset.
Cr Caldwell and Robina’s Hermann Vorster on their Facebook pages after the meeting announced they had voted to save a public asset.
Councillors have been split on voting in the past including the asset sale but it was rare for the Mayor to lose on an issue by so many votes.
A council source said: “This was the first shot over the bow at the Mayor. It was Cam’s first policy position (as a future mayoral candidate).”
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