City of Hobart CEO Michael Stretton says ‘legacy issues’ led to Louise Elliot being lied to by staff

“Legacy issues” within the culture of the City of Hobart led to a councillor being lied to and her request to book Town Hall being denied, the CEO says.

City of Hobart Councillor Louise Elliot. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Legacy issues” within the culture of the City of Hobart led to a councillor being lied to and her request to book Town Hall, being denied, the CEO says.

Last month, the anti-discrimination commissioner found the operational arm of the council had blocked Louise Elliot from booking the venue to hold a “women’s rights” event in September last year.

Ms Elliot is known for being a vocal campaigner against transgender women using women’s spaces and being included in women’s sporting categories.

Last year she made public emails which showed part of the decision making process by council staff, including correspondence from one staffer who said they were given an “uncomfortable request” to block the booking.

The council will make an official apology to Ms Elliot in a special meeting on Wednesday, in light of the commissioner’s findings.

In a report on the outcome, City of Hobart CEO Michael Stretton, who came into the role after the events occurred, said there existed a culture among City of Hobart staff that “was not as constructive and positive as one would like.”

Michael Stretton the new City of Hobart CEO. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

He said that culture led to certain decisions around Ms Elliot’s booking.

“Regrettably, Louise Elliot was on the receiving end of our organisation making several errors of judgement and actions,” he said.

“As a result of these errors she was directly discriminated against by the organisation.”

Mr Stretton said staff had blocked Ms Elliot without proper and due process.

He said staff had made “incorrect” assumptions that Ms Elliot’s views about transgender people participating in sport and occupying women’s spaces would be discussed at the event and that anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull would be a speaker.

Ms Elliot had attempted to obtain emails related to her booking through the right to information process, which Mr Stretton said was “stifled”, because of an assumption the booking had not been blocked.

It was also found Ms Elliot’s personal information had been shared with a third party.

Mr Stretton said the Ms Elliot’s treatment was not acceptable.

“I feel confident in saying that these events are a legacy issue, which will not be repeated by this organisation,” Mr Stretton said.

“I have observed the culture of the organisation already starting to shift and I believe that with the quality of people that exist across the organisation at all levels I can only see this continuing to improve into a constructive culture.”