Documents recently obtained under Right to Information reveal the Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds’ abuse of her powers concerning the raising of the trans flags outside the Town Hall during the Coalition for Biological Reality forum Gender Identity in Law on 26 February, 2022.
Spokesperson Isla MacGregor said:
‘Documents reveal that two days before the forum, on 24 February at 9.15 am, a staff member of Working It Out, who is also a Board Member of Equality Tasmania, at the suggestion of the Lord Mayor, emailed Council staff requesting the trans flags be flown outside the Town Hall.’
That email reads:
“I’m writing with a request that comes at the suggestion of the Lord Mayor (via another Equality Tasmania Board member) … that the Lord Mayor suggested we (Equality Tasmania on behalf of the trans community) should arrange /request for the trans flag banners be flown over the Town Hall on the day of the Forum – this Saturday, February 26.
“Is there any chance of that happening at such late notice?”
‘The Lord Mayor’s role does not include ‘activism’, but to conduct herself in a manner befitting her public office. The Lord Mayor should not have abused that role by weaponising Hobart City Council premises or embroiling Council staff in partisan activity to virtue signal to lobby groups.’
‘The Lord Mayor, along with two other Councillors, decisively failed in a 9-to-3 vote to have the forum banned at the Council Meeting on 6 December 2021.’
‘The Lord Mayor’s actions resulting in the trans flags being raised, were a deliberate attempt to undermine a decision at a Council Meeting, to antagonise, offend, and express contempt for the rights of forum participants and the high-profile legal and medical experts speaking at the forum. The Lord Mayor’s actions violated the contract with the Coalition for Biological Reality, which had in good faith, arranged hire of the Town Hall.’ said Isla MacGregor
A request for an Internal Review has been sent to Hobart City Council as the RTI Officer failed to release all available information that was requested and redacted important sections beyond that of personal information.
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