Hobart City Cr Louise Elliot found to have breached code of conduct in social media post

A councillor’s social media posts were found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct … again. This time she’s been sanctioned over a post which mentioned a ‘likely fake’ designer handbag.

Nala Mansell (L). Louise Elliot (R).

Hobart City councillor Louise Elliot has been sanctioned after she was found to have breached the code of conduct through posts on social media.

A complaint was made by Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre campaigner Nala Mansell in August 2023, over posts made in July and August the same year, which the panel said was predominantly about the Crowther statue.

The main part of the complaint related to a post from August 18.

“I’m fed up with this selective offence. Fed up with people who will never move on as one multicultural united Australia as there’s money and power at stake…..determined to try and induce guilt and shame, all while toddling around with [likely fake] designer handbags and soaking up all that today’s world has to offer,” Ms Elliot said on Facebook.

Louise Elliot. Picture: Kenji Sato

The Code of Conduct panel found Ms Elliot was in breach of two parts of the code: that an elected member not cause a reasonable person offence or embarrassment and that an elected member show respect when expressing personal views publicly.

“The Panel’s view was in the context of the other posts, a reasonable person may have interpreted the post as referring to Aboriginal people,” the panel said.

“Ms Mansell in her complaint describes this post as “racial discrimination at its finest”. It is not for this Panel to make that judgement but it is the Panel’s view that this post goes beyond “humour, hyperbole, sarcasm and invective”.

“It was of the opinion that the personal views expressed publicly by Councillor Elliot were not respectful in the context of the circumstances that existed at that time.”

Ms Elliot received a caution as a result of the complaint.

Two parts of Ms Mansell’s complaint were dismissed.

Ms Mansell told the Mercury she was disappointed Ms Elliot was only cautioned, and not suspended.

Nala Mansell speaks to the large crowd that gathered at Piyura Kitina / Risdon Cove for NAIDOC week. Picture: Linda Higginson.

“I’m happy to hear different conversations around the removal of a statue,” she said.

“But she’s basically suggesting we should be grateful our country and lives were invaded and because we live in a white society it strips us of our right to complain about the Crowther statue.”

Ms Elliot criticised the Code of Conduct.

“Ratepayer money being wasted by the Code of Conduct being used as thought and speech police,” she said.

“The Code has a valid role for real issues, like conflicts of interest and use of information, but the threshold is set absurdly low when it comes to someone having hurt feelings.

“There should absolutely be a limit on speech when it comes to things like incitement of hatred and defamation, but it’s gone too far.”

It’s not the first time Ms Elliot has been sanctioned for her social media activity; earlier this year she was cautioned for comments made on X (formerly Twitter).

Originally published as Hobart City Cr Louise Elliot found to have breached code of conduct in social media post