Tasmania Police investigating Cr Jax Ewin’s driving while tuned into video conference
Councillor Jax Ewin’s decision to tune into a council meeting via video while driving is under police investigation. LATEST >
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UPDATE:
Councillor Jax Ewin’s decision to tune into a council meeting via video while driving is under police investigation.
It comes after the councillor posted a selfie online accompanied by a message defending their driver behaviour.
The Hobart City Council Meeting – still available to watch on YouTube – showed Cr Ewin had joined the meeting via Zoom video link, as they told the Mercury they were on their way home from buying medication and were too unwell to join the meeting in person.
Tasmania Police said under the 2019 Road Rules, a penalty of up to $172 and five penalty units could be incurred for such an offence.
“A driver must not drive a vehicle that has a television receiver or visual display unit in or on the vehicle operating while the vehicle is moving, or is stationary but not parked, if any part of the image on the screen a) is visible to the driver from the normal driving position; or b) is likely to distract another driver,” Tasmania Police said.
“Tasmania Police have received a complaint and it is currently under investigation.”
Prior to the investigation, Cr Ewin defended their actions via comments to the Mercury and via a public Facebook post claiming they understood using a hands-free Bluetooth function to connect to the meeting was not breaking any laws.
“I always try to do my job to the best of my ability, which includes showing up, obeying Covid guidelines and road rules, all of which I believe I’m aware of enough to know that I was acting within the law,” they told the Mercury on Monday evening.
Cr Ewin’s Facebook post on Tuesday night included a smiling selfie of them holding a copy of the Mercury.
“I made the front page of the paper,’’ they wrote.
“Not for calling out racism, not for dismantling misogyny, not for any of the good things I’ve worked on and achieved through my time on council … this wasn’t for achieving anything other than being the first person in the history of the world to ever call into a meeting from the car!”
Social media users and the Mercury commenters responded with mixed reactions.
Mercury subscriber Douglas labelled the move “irresponsible”.
“How can you concentrate on a council meeting and drive a motor vehicle?” he wrote.
But Cr Ewin had supporters among the web throng.
Facebook commenter Brett Ollington wrote “what a joke” regarding the headlines about Cr Ewin and regarding Alderman Marti Zucco and Alderman Jeff Briscoe’s outrage over Cr Ewin’s actions.
“Clearly the problem for that councillor was about you, not what you (were) doing. Be strong.”
Another commenter praised Cr Ewin for being a “doer”, while another described them as a “multi-tasking councillor”.
Cr Jax Ewin has been contacted for comment.
EARLIER – Debate rages over councillor’s in-car Zoom call:
Hobart city councillor Marti Zucco has returned fire on colleague Jax Ewin, who remains unapologetic after copping criticism for dialling into Monday night’s council meeting via Zoom while driving.
While Cr Ewin has claimed no law was broken, the councillor’s method was slammed as being unsafe by Cr Zucco and Cr Jeff Briscoe.
“Thanks to my good friends Marti and Jeff for making such good noise about it; you cannot buy publicity this good,” Cr Ewin posted, along with a photo of them holding up a copy of the front page of the Mercury.
In a letter to the Mercury, Cr Zucco maintained Cr Ewin partaking in a video call while behind the wheel was unsafe. Cr Ewin said the practice of using a hands-free device was common and represented no danger on the roads.
“Road safety is at the core here; imagine if our parliaments across the State or country allowed this to happen,” Cr Zucco said.
“Covid or not, sick or not, there is no excuse. The other question not being asked is was Cr Ewin driving home from work and if someone is so unwell why the ‘urgent’ need to ‘Zoom’ in while driving. I have my theory and so do some of my fellow elected members. Politics is a numbers game after all.”
Cr Zucco continued to question Cr Ewin’s choice to ‘Zoom’ into the council meeting, given it was a rarity at Hobart council meetings.
“This is a total failure of the Lord Mayor of Hobart allowing this to occur in the first instance and even arguing with those that called it out,” Cr Zucco said.
“The Lord Mayor should have shut it down immediately and furthermore shut down the whole ‘Zoom’ process as at this point in time it’s not needed as the HCC has agreed to sitting face-to-face and to my friends this is questionable.
“No matter what or whether it’s legal it’s outrageous and not best practice.
“My dear friends Annalouise, John, Mary and Maxamillion have pointed out that it’s simply lazy and they say that there is no excuse that can overcome sheer stupidity. I’m wondering whether to agree with my dear friends.”
Cr Zucco also took issue with Cr Ewin referring to him as a “friend” in her Facebook post.
“I would like to clarify it must be another Marti as I’m definitely not on Cr Ewin’s friends list that’s for sure,” he said.
EARLIER:
CITY of Hobart councillor Jax Ewin is unapologetic after copping criticism from colleagues for dialling into Monday night’s council meeting via Zoom while driving.
Cr Ewin’s method was slammed by Alderman Marti Zucco and Alderman Jeff Briscoe, who said they believed Cr Ewin was breaking the law.
But Tasmania Police has said there was no offence committed if a hands-free device had been used.
On their Facebook page on Tuesday night, Cr Ewin shared a picture with a copy of the Mercury.
“I made the front page of the paper,’’ they wrote.
“Not for calling out racism, not for dismantling misogyny, not for any of the good things I’ve worked on and achieved through my time on council … this wasn’t for achieving anything other than being the first person in the history of the world to ever call into a meeting from the car!
“Thanks to my good friends Marti and Jeff for making such good noise about it; you cannot buy publicity this good.”
Cr Ewin said on Monday night they were using a council tablet connected to a hands-free Bluetooth speaker rather than using a device unlawfully.
Cr Ewin said they could not attend the meeting in person because they were unwell and did want to flout Covid-19 guidelines.
“I always try and do my job to the best of my ability, which includes showing up, obeying Covid guidelines and road rules.”
Cr Ewin’s post received mix responses from the community, many of whom agreed with the two councillors they were in the wrong.
“Even though the phone was in a holder the driver still has to take their eyes off the road to look and speak into the camera, Not Safe,” Carrie Timmons said.
Simon Fairfield shared a copy of the Tasmanian driving laws, quoting ‘All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.’
“Like, are you serious? How do you this is legal and OK to brag about?” Mr Fairfield asked Cr Ewin.
“You’ve absolutely done the wrong thing. Plan better and actually get to the meetings like you’re being paid to.”
Councillor says they were “acting within the law”
May 24, 7.15pm
COUNCILLOR Jax Ewin has said they were using a hands-free Bluetooth device and “acting within the law” when they tuned into a council meeting via video while driving, despite colleagues fears the act could be an offence.
Cr Ewin drew ire from fellow colleagues who believed the councillor was unlawfully tuning into a council meeting while driving on Monday evening.
But Cr Ewin insisted they were using their council tablet connected to a hands-free Bluetooth speaker rather than using a device unlawfully.
“(This) is what I use for every Council meeting I attend remotely,” they said.
“I joined the meeting while out getting meds because I’m single and don’t have family support, and didn’t have anyone available to help me get them.”
Cr Ewin said they could not join the meeting in person because they were unwell and did not want to flout Covid-19 guidelines.
“I always try and do my job to the best of my ability, which includes showing up, obeying Covid guidelines and road rules – all of which I believe I’m aware of enough to know that I was acting within the law.”
Within the first few minutes of Monday night’s Hobart City Council meeting, Alderman Marti Zucco stood up with a point of order.
He was sitting in the meeting chamber when he noticed Councillor Jax Ewin’s zoom video had shown them driving in their car while listening to the meeting.
“I would like to ask the question lord mayor how on earth is it possible for a councillor or any elected official to be in a car driving whilst being in council?” Ald Zucco said.
“Surely that is against the law, and I find it absolutely absurd that a councillor is driving a car whilst also trying to concentrate on this council meeting, this is appalling lord mayor and I believe that you should do something about it.”
Alderman Jeff Briscoe added “they’re breaking the law” and “that is appalling”.
Cr Ewin said they were happy to leave the meeting until they were back home.
Cr Ewin rejoined the meeting from home around 5.15pm.
A Tasmania Police spokesman confirmed the distinction between legal and illegal device use while driving depended on whether the person was using the device “non-hands-free”.
“You have to have a Bluetooth connection in your car,” the Police spokesman said.
“If they’re using their (device) non-hands-free, you’re not allowed to do that.”
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