Kingborough councillor David Grace seen drinking can of beer during livestreamed meeting

A Tasmanian ratepayers group has come to the defence of a councillor who was criticised for swigging alcohol during a council meeting, claiming the attack is a campaign against him.

A KINGBOROUGH ratepayers group has come to the defence of a councillor who was criticised by his colleagues for drinking alcohol during a livestreamed council meeting.

Councillor David Grace was seen on the Kingborough Council’s public live stream of Monday night’s meeting drinking from a can of Cascade Draught just before the two-hour open meeting went into closed session.

It prompted reactions from some of his colleagues after the meeting, including one who labelled it “extremely unprofessional”.

But Kingborough Ratepayers Voice spokesman Julian Punch defended Mr Grace, saying the criticism was part of a “sustained campaign” against the long-serving councillor.

“We’ve got substantial concerns about the campaign against David Grace. This is the latest version of it,’’ Mr Punch said.

Kingborough resident Julian Punch.

“The complaint now has gone to the office of local government about what’s going on and they are very concerned about his health and his wife’s health.”

Some of Mr Grace’s council colleagues suggested it was a bad look to be consuming alcohol during a meeting, regardless of whether it was held in person or online.

But Mr Punch claimed it was a distraction.

“The sustained campaign is a big distraction from the important work of local government that we pay for. Our rates and taxes pay for council,’’ he said.

“David Grace has been a councillor for over 20 years, he’s a working class person.

“This is a distraction ... the importance of the work of council has now come down to, in a meeting, David Grace having a sip of beer, as it moved to closed council.”

Last year, Mr Grace was ordered to apologise to now-mayor and then councillor Paula Wriedt after comments made to her in a workshop were found to have breached the code of conduct.

The council is conducting its meetings remotely for the time being due to the Covid-19 situation in Tasmania.

‘Unprofessional’: Councillor caught drinking beer during meeting

A KINGBOROUGH councillor has been seen swigging from a can of beer during a live-streamed council meeting, with some of his colleagues and a local resident saying the behaviour doesn’t pass the pub test.

Councillor David Grace was captured on the Kingborough Council’s public live stream of Monday night’s meeting drinking from a can of what appeared to be Cascade Draught towards the end of the open session of the two-hour meeting.

The meeting then went into closed session.

The council is conducting meetings remotely for the time being due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation statewide.

Councillor David Grace is seen during the meeting drinking from a can of beer.

Mr Grace did not return calls from the Mercury.

Deputy Mayor Jo Westwood, who is on a leave of absence and did not attend Monday night’s virtual meeting, had the issue raised with her by a ratepayer and said the behaviour was “extremely unprofessional”.

Ms Westwood acknowledged drinking alcohol during a council meeting may not be a contravention of the rules, but argued it was a bad look.

“He hasn’t done anything technically wrong, it’s more about the fact that he’s an elected representative of the community, representing 40,000 people,’’ she said.

“It would be very brazen to sit there and drink a beer in person [at a council meeting], so what’s different when working from home and it’s a live recording via YouTube.”

Ms Westwood said decisions made during council meetings were important regardless of whether the council met in person or online.

Another councillor, Gideon Cordover said: “We have a position of enormous privilege and therefore enormous responsibility, and the community expect that we take our work seriously.”

Kingborough resident and candidate for this year’s council elections, Kaspar Deane, said he was shocked to see a councillor drinking during a meeting.

Councillor David Grace is seen during the meeting drinking from a can of beer.

“Just because the meetings are online, it doesn’t make the decisions being made for our community any less important,’’ Mr Deane said.

It comes after Mr Grace was last year ordered to apologise to now-Mayor and then councillor Paula Wriedt after comments made to her in a workshop were found to have breached the Code of Conduct.

“I sincerely apologise for any inappropriate words I said at the workshop to councillor Wriedt (who was) feeling physically threatened,’’ Mr Grace said at a council meeting in June last year.

“I now realise I need to be more careful how I express my words. I am genuinely remorseful and never intended to upset Cr Wriedt.”

Mr Grace was contacted for comment but did not return calls and an email.

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