Hobart councillor says complaint against her for ‘inciting hatred’ has been withdrawn by complainant

Outspoken Hobart councillor Louise Elliot has had a win with a complaint against her about transwomen withdrawn. But she’s far from happy.

Post by Louise Elliot on social media site X.

Outspoken Hobart councillor Louise Elliot says a complaint against her for ‘inciting hatred’ based on gender identity has been withdrawn.

Ms Elliot says a local person, unknown to her, made the complaint last year after she said “transwomen are transwomen and remain biological men”.

In an email to her lawyer late on Friday, the deputy registrar of the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal said the complainant had advised the Tribunal “that she wishes to withdraw her complaint”.

He says he will now ask a Tribunal member to consider the transfer of the proceedings to the Magistrates Court “for determination of the complainant’s application to withdraw, unless I receive any objection from either party by 16 February.”

Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Elliot had threatened to take the case to the High Court of Australia.

She said legal bills so far amounted to $10,000 which had been paid for with the help of fundraising including donations “from across the world”.

“It’s taken over nine months of stress and thousands in legal expenses for the frivolous complaint to finally be withdrawn,” Ms Elliot said.

“I won’t be intimidated by woke bullies.

“I was ready and willing to take this matter to the High Court to make sure we have this important legal precedent but it looks like some sense has been reached.”

Ms Elliot said did not have a “gripe” with the person who made the complaint but that it “was accepted by the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner for investigation in the first place”.

“I hate to think how much taxpayer money has been wasted investigating this matter when all reasonable people know that I did nothing wrong when I stated the truth and my fair and valid opinion that’s shared by millions of Australians,” she said.

“There is a rightful place for laws around discrimination and incitement of hatred.

“We need these laws, but the bodies implementing these laws must not facilitate them being weaponised to intimidate and bully people whose views some people simply don’t like.

“People are too afraid to speak and disagree in fear of being subjected to expensive and destructive “lawfare’.”

Ms Elliot said she would be advocating for change.

“I don’t want to prevent this happening to anyone else,” she said.

Ms Elliot says she still believes in the need for female-only sports and some female-only spaces, including change rooms, prisons and shelters.