A CODE of conduct complaint has officially been lodged against a Hobart City councillor — but the elected member said they stood by what they’d done.
As first revealed by the Mercury in May, women’s rights group Women Speak Tasmania filed a complaint against Cr Holly Ewin on Monday over comments at a council meeting and posts on social media.
The group’s spokeswoman Bronwyn Williams said Cr Ewin had persisted with personal attacks against Women Speak Tasmania on social media and had made no attempt to engage with them directly.
She alleged Cr Ewin had made a number of false and defamatory comments about the women’s group on the Facebook page — Holly Ewin, Hobart City Councillor — and during the June 17 council meeting.
One of those comments included Cr Ewin using the word “Nazis” when referencing feelings towards the Women Speak Tasmania group and sharing a mobile phone number of one of the group’s members.
“I stand by every comment I’ve made on regarding the ethos of that group,” Cr Ewin said posted on the same Facebook page.
“They exist only to exclude trans and non-binary people — particularly trans women, and that kind of non-scientific, oversimplified biological essentialism belongs back in the dark ages.”
Ms Williams said Cr Ewin had misrepresented their position on transgender issues and allegedly publicly accused them of promoting hate speech.
“We understand the Hobart City Council code of conduct requires councillors to treat all people with respect, including members of the public and fellow councillors,” she said.
“[Cr Ewin] is persisting with personal attacks against us on social media, despite making no attempt to engage with us directly to discuss the relevant issues.”
Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath will forward the complaint to Tasmanian local government director Alex Tay who will convene a panel to determine if there is a legitimate case.
by Jack Paynter
Source: The Mercury