One word you can no longer call a colleague

A light-hearted comment many Aussies have used has seen a mayor subject to a full-blown investigation.

An Aussie mayor’s light-hearted comments about a red-haired councillor have prompted a full-blown investigation.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has now formally apologised for jokingly calling a fellow councillor a “ranga”.

Queensland’s council watchdog cracked down on comments made at a media conference earlier this year when he was asked about a Facebook post.

In the post, Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek welcomed a new councillor and close friend Joe Wilkinson by describing him as “ranga”, with the hashtags “#diversity” and “#multiculturalism”.

In the press conference, Cr Tate said he “didn’t even know he (Cr Wilkinson) was a ranga” but it was good for the Coast’s “diversity”.

Cr Tate said former councillor William Owen-Jones had retired and “he was a ranga”.

“You know, lose one ranga, get another ranga. What the hell. That’s what the Gold Coast is all about,” he said.

Cr Joe Wilkinson and Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) did not see the funny side. It found Cr Tate may have broken standards of behaviour requiring councillors to “treat people in a reasonable, just, respectful and non-discriminatory way”, to “treat fellow councillors, local government employees and members of the public with courtesy, honesty and fairness” and “have proper regard for other people’s rights, obligations, cultural differences, safety, health and welfare”.

“While the conduct may well be argued to be in jest or intended to be humorous, it was considered in assessing this matter that the term (ranga) was still capable of being discriminatory and unreasonably causing offence to particular groups,” the OIA said in its determination.

“The complaint raised various concerns about the use of the term “ranga” by the mayor, including its references to orangutans.

“The complaint also made reference to other similar terms often used which are also associated with ‘discriminatory feelings’ and how others in the public eye have been dealt with as a result.

“The complaint referred to the mayor’s behaviour as ‘not funny’ and ‘extremely derogatory’.”

The OIA added it was “not the first time” Mayor Tate had made public comments that were “considered discriminatory to others”.

In 2021 Cr Tate said: “You wouldn’t want to put a Chinese (person) next to someone who’s got a cat, you know. She might be breakfast.”

Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images for NBL

William Owen-Jones saw the funny side. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Cr Tate apologised for that comment as a “poor joke” and the matter was discontinued.

The OIA, however, said “the nature of such comments make it particularly relevant for Mayor Tate’s fellow councillors to consider and decide if the commentary is in line with the community’s expectations for an elected official”.

The OIA referred the “ranga” complaint to the council to investigate. If found guilty, he may have to issue another public apology or be issued with a misconduct warning.

He had previously vowed to defend the complaint, telling The Courier-Mail last week he was “disappointed that the OIA has seen fit to have this matter further investigated”.

“When I went to school, people with red hair were called ‘Blue’ and sometimes particularly tall people were called ‘Stretch’,” he said.

“With my Asian heritage, I was often called more colourful things. I had no idea that the term ‘ranga’ was offensive to some people and I certainly did not intend to cause any offence. In using the term, I was actually responding to a direct question from a journalist.”

He said he respected the OIA’s role but questioned the use of taxpayer resources to investigate such “time-consuming and costly” complaints.

“I will be defending the allegation that I have committed a conduct breach and I am seeking (legal) advice in that regard,” he said.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that on Tuesday’s council meeting, Cr Tate delivered a mea culpa.

He said he acknowledged the term “ranga … may be derogatory and offensive and I offer my apology to anyone offended by my recent comments”.

Cr Wilkinson had laughed off the controversy, saying he was a “proud ranga”.

Originally published as One word you can no longer call a colleague