Councillor cautioned for calling colleague ‘misogynist turkey’

A Clarence City councillor is in hot water over comments he made about a colleague on Facebook.

FORMER MP Tony Mulder will be cautioned for calling a Clarence City Council colleague “narcissistic” and a “misogynist turkey” in a social media message.

The Local Government Association’s code of conduct panel considered a complaint from Alderman Brendan Blomeley against Alderman Mulder over a 3.58am Facebook post and a private message sent in October last year.

Ald Blomeley complained that the posts were “highly inappropriate and designed to bully him” after he voted against a motion by Ald Mulder at a council meeting and constituted breaches of the Clarence City Council code of conduct.

Tony Mulder. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

The first post complained of was made by Ald Mulder on his personal Facebook page early on October 1 and consisted of a definition of “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” accompanied by the comment “remind you of anyone?”

On October 10, Ald Mulder sent a personal message to a 16-year-old friend Harrison Grafanakis who had posted a photograph of Alderman Blomely on his Facebook page.

The message read in part: “Really Harri (sic). Google this narcissistic ... mysoginist (sic) turkey b4 backing him”.

Mr Grafanakis, a campaign worker for Ald Blomeley, passed the message on.

The panel dismissed Ald Blomeley’s complaint about the first post, saying there was no evidence it related to him and was viewed by only 11 people.

Alderman Brendan Blomeley. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

It upheld two of the five grounds in the complaint relating to the second message.

“The Panel considers that it is beholden of an elected member to maintain a high standard of behaviour as a representative of council,” it said.

“To this extent, a councillor must understand that it is not only the intent of the communication they initiate but also how it can be interpreted by the recipient.”

The Panel determined that Ald Mulder’s action did not bring the council into disrepute, but it did bring the office of councillor into disrepute but said his actions did not constitute bullying or harassment.

“The Panel considered that although this was the first complaint against Ald Mulder, given his experience in public office over a number of years, a caution was the appropriate sanction.”

It recommended Ald Mulder apologise to Mr Grafanakis.

The finding will be considered as part of Monday’s council meeting.

Ald Mulder was a member of the Legislative Council for the division of Rumney from 2011 to 2017.