
Emails showing a forum critical of transgender rights was “blocked” by Hobart City Council staff were withheld from release under right to information, in conduct the council concedes may be criminal.
Two senior staff whose emails were caught up in an RTI request by councillor and transgender rights critic Louise Elliot have in recent weeks either resigned or been placed on “extended leave”.
The Weekend Australian can reveal emails to and from the council’s creative city manager, Jamie Smith, were withheld from the RTI disclosure to Ms Elliot and only emerged later thanks to a whistleblower.
Ms Elliot in November 2023 accused senior staff of withholding emails sought under her RTI application, which related to the blocking of her booking of the Town Hall for a “women’s rights” forum. At the time, the council’s legal and corporate governance manager, Wes Young, lambasted Ms Elliot, telling her in an email on November 22: “You have been provided with ALL of the relevant documentation, without redaction or qualification.
“Without evidence you have alleged that officers are engaging in criminal behaviour, such as withholding or destruction of documents.”
However, on November 30 a staff member came forward, telling Mr Young there were emails to and from Mr Smith that had been withheld from the RTI response.
The whistleblower forwarded those emails to Mr Young, saying “the matter is extremely uncomfortable for me”.
These emails show the whistleblower expressing concern to Mr Smith over “an uncomfortable request for me to block Louise Elliot from booking the Town Hall”.
“Should I be concerned do you think, or will Jackie (sic) deal with the outcome, given it was her direction?” the whistleblower emailed Mr Smith on October 5.

“Jackie” is understood to be a reference to Jacqui Allen, the council’s acting chief executive at the time of the hall booking request. Ms Allen last week resigned from the council, where her usual role was connected city director.
Mr Smith replied to the whistleblower on October 6: “You have nothing to worry about. Jacqui will absolutely deal with Cr Elliot and any fallout. This sits with Jacqui and ELT (executive leadership team) to approach and deal with.”
In an email exchange between Mr Young and the whistleblower on November 30, the whistleblower says “it was my manager that directed” her to block Ms Elliot’s hall booking.
Within hours of receiving the missing emails, Mr Young rang Ms Elliot to confirm their existence. He later forwarded them to her, telling her: “There are now multiple investigations in play on this … There will also be an HR process. Lastly, there are also whistleblower concerns … I can also confirm that despite the inference in one of the emails, neither the ELT nor acting CEO (Ms Allen) was aware of this ‘directive’, and both Jacqui and I are deeply concerned by the alleged conduct.”
An external investigation by lawyer David Dilger began in December, with findings finally presented to current council CEO Michael Stretton last month.
However, Mr Stretton is refusing to release the Dilger report, including to Ms Elliot.
Nor will Mr Stretton or Mr Young answer questions about the withholding of emails captured by RTI, a practice described by Mr Young – before it was shown to have occurred – as potentially “criminal”.
Mr Stretton would not say what role if any the Dilger report played in Ms Allen’s resignation.
In explaining her departure to elected members on April 24, Mr Stretton made no mention of the Dilger investigation or the events leading to it. “Jacqui has decided to leave the City of Hobart after two years and will take some time before pursuing project management and consultancy opportunities,” he told councillors.
Mr Stretton would not say whether Mr Smith, whose email bounce back says is on “extended leave”, had also resigned, as some sources suggest, or comment on his employment status.
Mr Smith and Ms Allen did not respond to requests for comment, nor to questions.
Mr Stretton cited an ongoing discrimination complaint by Ms Elliot over the blocking of her booking as the reason for suppressing the Dilger report and refusing to answer questions.
Amid calls from some councillors for a state government inquiry into “systemic cultural problems” at the council, Ms Elliot labelled her treatment “a disgrace”. “So much effort went into the discrimination, and then even more into withholding evidence of it, and now the fight continues in terms of getting access to the report with the answers,” Ms Elliot said.
“I strongly believe that the culture that enabled all this has come from the top and that must change … My hope is that the full extent of the conduct is uncovered, with accountability for those involved.
“Without exposure and consequences, there will be no change … (The culture should be) don’t break the law, comply with right to information obligations, respect privacy, and have a culture that prevents these issues and supports whistleblowing.”
The Weekend Australian is not suggesting criminal behaviour has taken place, only that the events raise serious questions for the council to answer.
Source: The Australian