Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock has offered an unreserved apology for taking food and drinks from the council’s elected member lounge, but described the ongoing fallout as a “political assassination.”
Speaking on ABC Radio this afternoon, Sherlock confirmed a list of missing items – including soft drink, wine, beer, nuts and chocolates – had been provided to the Integrity Commission.
“I do understand and I do appreciate that this is not in the spirit of what the community expects from me as an elected member and I do unreservedly apologise,” she said.
Sherlock said the community now has the information it needs to make up its own mind.
“I will try my best that I can for the community as I have done for the past 8 years and I will continue to represent the most vulnerable in our community,” she said.
She said the incident occurred in 2024 and could have been handled through proper authorities rather than playing out publicly.
“This … definitely appears to be a political assassination,” she said.
“I do feel bullied. I feel harassed. I feel targeted.”
She said the elected member lounge has a yearly budget of $4,000 shared among 12 councillors.
Asked whether alcohol should be available in a council office, Sherlock said the community “would probably not expect that those kinds of items are contained within that space.”
Fellow councillor Marti Zucco dismissed what he described as “crocodile tears” from Sherlock and said he did not accept the apology.
“All the excuses under the sun have been used,” Zucco told Pulse.
“What it is now is because basically the cat’s out of the bag and we know it was bagfuls of product being taken after hours.”
Zucco said he had written to the Director of Local Government 20 times in eight months and the director had now requested information about the matter.
He said the situation would not have dragged on if the then acting chief executive had reported it properly in 2024 as required under the Local Government Act.
He claimed staff who witnessed the behaviour had been too worried to speak out, with two having since left the organisation.
Zucco said he had viewed CCTV evidence for a second time and was lodging a right to information request to have the footage released publicly.
He confirmed a push for an independent investigation earlier this year failed by one vote at council.
Since January, Zucco said councillors had faced “roadblocks” including a 149-day wait for a right to information request and complaints to the ombudsman.
Councillor Louise Elliott said the matter was about accountability, not politics.
“This has only ever been about ensuring accountability for what all clear-thinking people view as stealing and the sweeping of serious conduct under the carpet,” Elliott said.
“The double-standard that a staff member would be sacked for far less weighs heavily on me.”
