Complaint against Aldermen Marti Zucco about ‘racist’ comments upheld, similar complaint against Simon Behrakis dismissed

The results of two code of conduct complaints against two Hobart City Council elected members are in – with one outspoken alderman set to be reprimanded. FIND OUT WHY >>>

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A HOBART City Council alderman will be formally reprimanded after a code of conduct panel found they repeatedly bullied and harassed a member of the public.

Hobart Not Highrise president Brian Corr lodged complaints against aldermen Simon Behrakis and Marti Zucco over emails, Facebook posts and media releases relating to discussion around the planning application for the redevelopment of the Welcome Stranger Hotel last year.

The code of conduct panel’s report will be tabled at the council meeting on Monday night.

Mr Corr alleged Ald Zucco, the council’s longest ever serving elected member, had breached the code by calling him racist and fascist and his actions were bullying and harassing.

Following an investigation, the complaint was partly upheld and Ald Zucco will receive a reprimand.

Marti Zucco on the North Hobart restaurant strip. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

In one of his media releases, Ald Zucco wrote “over recent days people associated with the group Hobart Not Highrise have been circulating information online regarding the country of origin of some of the people involved with the people.

“I call on the Lord Mayor to immediately condemn racism and in particular those involved in it and denounce Hobart Not Highrise in particular its convenor Brian Corr for initiating this[sic] racist actions. The Lord Mayor and all those elected members who were supported by HNH during and since the election must immediately disassociate themselves from this racist and somewhat fascist group.”

The panel found the statement was disrespectful of the office of the Lord Mayor and Mr Corr.

In another instance, the panel found Ald Zucco used the terms ‘racist’ and ‘fascist’ “loosely in debate” and “failed to show respect to those community members who had contributed to public debate on the Welcome Stranger application.”

It found over the course of the debate, Ald Zucco had bullied and harassed Mr Corr.

“The panel finds in the 10 incidents cited in the complaint, Ald Zucco had several times been unfair, has caused offence or embarrassment, has harassed a member of the public by repeated public attacks on him and has failed to show respect,” the panel found.

Hobart City Council meeting at the Town Hall relating to building heights in the Hobart CBD. (L-R) Alderman Simon Behrakis (centre). PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON

The complaint against Ald Behrakis was dismissed.

Ald Behrakis said he felt both “relieved and vindicated” to have been cleared.

“This is yet another example of the need for the current code of conduct process to be abolished,” he said.

“As it stands, it serves only to frustrate the time, attention and resources of democratically elected local government representatives and is increasingly being used as a weapon for activists to attack councillors and aldermen with whom they disagree.

“The minister needs to step in and address this as a matter of urgency. Too many are turning away from serving in local government because of a set of rules, and a process – which neither state nor federal parliamentarians are held to – is preventing them from being able to do their jobs as representatives without fear of retribution from political opponents, as we have seen in recent times. “

Ald Zucco declined to comment until after the report is formally tabled.