A Hobart councillor has been formally reprimanded for “bullying and harassing” the city’s deputy lord mayor during a council meeting that descended into chaos.
A Code of Conduct panel found councillor John Kelly’s behaviour towards deputy lord mayor Zelinda Sherlock at the September 16, 2024, meeting went “well beyond” what the code allows.
Kelly appealed the decision, but the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) upheld the finding this month.
The determination, made by panel members Lynn Mason, Roseanne Heyward and Audrey Mills, will be tabled at Monday’s council meeting.
As reported by Pulse at the time, the row began when Sherlock said it was “disappointing” more councillors had not nominated for the planning committee.
Kelly hit back, saying he felt “humiliated, publicly vilified and shamed”.
“Someone’s disgraceful behaviour has brought this meeting to its knees,” he told the chamber. “Well done deputy lord mayor. Shame on you. Shame.”
The panel noted the comments were made in an open council meeting, with staff and members of the public watching, while the meeting was also being live-streamed.
When the meeting was adjourned to cool tensions, the panel said Kelly kept going, calling Sherlock an “upstart” and “disgusting” – comments she recorded on her phone.
The panel found Kelly had breached four parts of the code, including failing to treat Sherlock fairly, causing offence, bullying and harassing her and making the debate about her rather than the issue at hand.
“… The tone, gestures, words and stance adopted by Cr Kelly … were an attempt to cower Cr Sherlock,” the panel said.
Kelly told the panel he had to “protect his honour” and his reaction was “normal” given what he saw as Sherlock’s provocation.
He said that, in calling Sherlock disgusting, he was expressing strong disapproval of the way he believed he was being vilified and humiliated.
He said he owed it to himself and to the public to respond.
The panel disagreed, finding Sherlock’s tone had been moderate and Kelly’s claim she had brought the council to its knees was a “gross overstatement”.
Kelly argued he should not be punished, but the panel reprimanded him, noting it was the first complaint upheld against him.
