Mayor Tom Tate apologises after making racist comment about Chinese

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate is in hot water after a racist joke made at a press conference in Townsville. Now Bulletin readers have had their say. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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GOLD COAST mayor Tom Tate is in hot water after a racist joke made at a press conference in Townsville.

Cr Tate was in northern Queensland at a disaster management conference when he was talking to media about making people comfortable in temporary shelters.

“Bring your pets with you, too. I don’t mind that,” he said.

“You wouldn’t want to put a Chinese next to someone who’s got a cat, you know. She might be breakfast.

“You’ve got to work those things out.”

Cr Tate issued an apology after the gaffe came to light.

“I apologise for my clumsy sense of humour. There was no intention to cause offence,” he said.

The issue sparked a flurry of replies from Bulletin readers.

“GO Tom, don’t worry about all the sad souls that can’t have/take a joke. good on you,” wrote Chris.

Lucy added: “I think he’s terrific, and can see why he is the Gold Coast’s Mayor. He only says what we are all busting to say. Funny as.”

Ell chimed in: “Casual racism, sadly just another day in the world of lord Tom Tate.”

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Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

More than 17,000 Gold Coast residents, or 3.1 per cent of the city’s population, listed their ancestry at Chinese in the 2016 Census.

The Gold Coast currently has four sister city arrangements with Chinese cities – Beihai, Chengdu and Zhuhai.

The country is also one of the largest international tourism markets for the Glitter Strip.

'Might be breakfast' GC Mayor Tom Tate has apologised for a racist comment about Chinese people he made at a press conference in Townsville. The Mayor was discussing what the Gold Coast could learn from the city about disaster management. https://t.co/xsGo19CzSg#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/SKA3sCaSGw

— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) March 29, 2021

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek came to Cr Tate’s defence.
“That’s just Tom Tate. He is Asian and that's why people love him,” he said.

Cr Tate’s comments come less than a week after he hit made headlines for his comments about artwork gracing the entrance to the city’s new art gallery.

“I think I welcome the money from the Melbourne Art Foundation. Art is subjective. I say to you, go up, get up close and personal, have a good look at it. Don’t like it, have another drink, keep doing it until you like it,” he said.

“Then by the end of night you go ‘that’s a great piece’.”

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