Former King Island Mayor Duncan McFie enters pleas to child abuse material charges

A former King Island Mayor and councillor will return to the Burnie Supreme Court later in the year after entering pleas to child abuse material charges in Hobart.

King Island Mayor Duncan McFie at the King Island Marina. Picture: David Geraghty / The Australian.

A former King Island Mayor has entered pleas of not guilty to charges of possessing and producing child exploitation material at the Hobart Magistrates Court.

Alistair Duncan McFie, 57, appeared before Magistrate Glenn Hay on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to both complaints alleged to have occurred late in 2022 on King Island.

Mr McFie, known as Duncan McFie, was the mayor of the King Island Council between 2014 and 2018.

King Island Cloud Juice founder Duncan McFie at the water catchment facility near Seal Rocks, King Island

He was later elected as the island’s deputy mayor in late 2022, filling a vacancy, until a re-election in November that year.

He remained an elected member of the council until his resignation in late August a month ahead of his court appearance.

In Mr McFie’s June court appearance, Mr Hay said a plea of not guilty would require the matter to be heard in the Burnie Supreme Court.

He was bailed to appear on both matters on November 18.

Former King Island Mayor and councillor Alistair Duncan McFie. Picture: Facebook

Mr McFie also owns King Island Cloud Juice, based near his residence in Nugara on King Island, as well as teaching music at the King Island District School, according to Cloud Juice’s website.

The Tasmanian Department of Education, Children and Young People was contacted to confirm the status of Mr McFie’s employment, stating he had been “suspended from the workplace”.