Family of under fire Kingborough councillor David Grace speaks in defence of ‘down to earth’ community advocate

A family member of under-fire Kingborough councillor David Grace has spoken out in his defence, saying “the last thing” he meant was to offend women. DETAILS + LATEST >>

• Cr Grace fails to apologise for ‘sexist’, ‘threatening’ remarks, absent from Council meeting
• By-elections and recounts on the cards for several Tasmanian local councils in wake of state election

THE upheld code of conduct case against Kingborough councillor David Grace has been blown out of proportion and “the last thing” he meant was to offend women, says a family spokesman.

Cr Grace was found to have breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct in a workshop in November when he made remarks about needing a “male IT man” to fix a tech issue and subsequently telling Cr Paula Wriedt “I will put you on your tail” when she confronted the sexist remarks.

Outlined reparations for his behaviour included six hours of anger management counselling and apologising at Monday night’s Kingborough Council meeting, but he did not turn up to the meeting.

Cr Paula Wriedt at the Kingborough Council meeting. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

A public question without notice was submitted to provide a medical certificate on Cr Grace’s behalf saying the 77-year-old was unable to attend because of a “long history” of a medical condition and would apologise at the next session.

A family spokesman said Cr Grace was “far from sexist”.

“He’s got two daughters, three granddaughters and two great granddaughters and the whole thing has been blown up out of all proportion from a complete misunderstanding,” the spokesman said.

“He’s served the Kingborough community for the last 20 years and has thousands of supporters. He’s devoted a huge part of his life to the municipality so it would be disappointing for it to end this way.

“People in the community love him because he’s a hard worker and down to earth.

“The last thing he wants to do is offend women, but he doesn’t always come across well because he’s old school.”

Cr David Grace was absent without explanation from the Kingborough Council meeting. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

Cr Wriedt previously said during her long political career she developed a “thick skin” against sexism, but had never been physically threatened until the incident with Cr Grace.

“I wasn’t prepared for the aggressive response, disruptive behaviour and then being threatened with physical violence,” she said.

“It caught me totally off guard and was a disproportionate response to my plea not to use that sort of language.”

Seven councillors – Dean Winter, Jo Westwood, Sue Bastone, Gideon Cordover, Amanda Midgely, Christian Street and Steve Wass – released a statement about the incident in support of Cr Wriedt and calling for a review of the code of conduct process.