A Glenorchy alderman running for mayor was reprimanded and suspended for a month after a panel found he touched and offended female council staff, a newly published code of conduct report has revealed.
The report into Peter Ridler was released this week, more than a year after the panel completed it on July 29, 2025.
Ridler is seeking re-election as both councillor and mayor.
The panel found he brought the office of councillor into disrepute, treated staff unfairly and caused them offence and embarrassment.
It also found he engaged in prohibited conduct under the Anti-Discrimination Act.
The incidents happened between November and December 2024, soon after Ridler returned to the council.
One staff member said she felt “quite disgusted” when he put his arm around her waist as she showed him a form.
Weeks later he stood centimetres behind her at her desk, leaving her feeling trapped.
He also told her to “stick to your knitting and get back to the kitchen” at a council workshop. Ridler denied saying it.
When she explained why the annual report could not be released earlier, he told her: “I’ll get the whip out”.
Ridler said the comment was aimed at the council generally. Witnesses said he was looking directly at her.
The panel upheld a complaint over his approach to another staff member, who said he came up behind her and rubbed her back as she adjusted a fan.
Ridler denied it, saying he was squeezing past her at the food table.
He also grabbed a director’s name badge from her chest. Ridler said he was partially deaf and her badge was facing the wrong way.
The panel also found he used a racist phrase containing the n-word slur at a workshop. He did not address that allegation in his response.
It found he pressured a staff member into giving him her personal phone number, breaching council rules on which staff elected members can contact.
Emilio Reale, then acting CEO and now the council’s CEO, warned Ridler about his behaviour on December 3, 2024.
Ridler said his comments were in jest and promised to stop.
Nine days later, he took a staff member by the shoulders at a community barbecue and turned her around to read the back of her shirt.
The panel said “his behaviour was not inadvertent or accidental”.
“He has also exhibited wilful disregard for the advice given him by the Acting CEO,” it said.
Then-CEO Tony McMullen brought the complaint. He said he was responsible for staff psychological safety.
At the hearing in May 2025, Ridler argued the council had no valid code of conduct. The panel rejected that argument.
He then walked out, saying his position was “all in my stat dec”. Because he left, he did not question the staff, who gave sworn evidence.
The panel dismissed a bullying claim because there was no sustained pattern towards any one person.
It reprimanded him, ordered training and suspended him for a month. Ridler had told the panel he would accept training.
Ridler was first elected in 1987. He lost his seat in 2014 and returned 10 years later.
He has served more than 27 years on the council and the panel said it assumed he knew the code.
The report noted another alderman and the deputy mayor had raised concerns about his conduct.
Deputy mayor Russell Yaxley, who is also running for mayor, told Pulse the published determination “has been a long time coming”.
“I applaud the council employees who had the courage to speak up,” he said.
“In my view, a candidate formally reprimanded for serious misconduct towards council employees should be withdrawing their nomination.”
Ridler has not publicly commented on the report.
