A Burnie councillor is to be suspended for two weeks after a conduct panel found his social media posts were homophobic and racist.
Trent Aitken will be barred from council duties for 14 days from Wednesday, following the tabling of a Code of Conduct determination report on Tuesday night.
The Local Government Code of Conduct Panel found Aitken breached the councillor code by failing to show respect when expressing personal views publicly and by causing offence and embarrassment to members of the community.
The complaint was lodged by a local resident in June 2025.
It related to a series of posts Aitken made on social media and in the media between January and May 2025.
The panel examined seven statements it categorised as homophobic, including posts criticising transgender people and opposing the flying of a rainbow flag at council chambers.
Six statements were categorised as racist, including comments about Aboriginal people and Australia Day.
Aitken did not deny making the statements.
He asserted “the statements he made were the truth and as such he was entitled to make these statements”.
The panel found a “reasonable person” would view the comments as offensive and embarrassing, particularly to members of the Aboriginal and LGBTQI+ communities.
“… The posts when taken as a group are both disrespectful to the Aboriginal and LGBTQI+ communities respectively,” the panel determined.
“It also is possible they breach both federal and state legislation.”
The panel dismissed allegations that Aitken’s conduct brought the council into disrepute or constituted bullying, citing insufficient evidence.
The resident had requested Aitken be suspended and required to apologise to both communities.
The panel declined to order an apology.
“The panel felt that Cr. Aitken’s views on this matter were so strongly held that any apology he might proffer would not be made genuinely and, in the circumstances, considered it better not to impose a requirement to apologise,” the determination stated.
In addition to the suspension, Aitken must complete a training course directed by the council’s general manager within three months.
