Former Liberal MP turned independent Hobart City Council candidate Simon Behrakis has called on the Tasmanian Greens to dump Deputy Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock as their candidate.
With nominations closing on September 21, Behrakis said in a public statement on Thursday it was “not too late” for the party to act.
The push relates to food and drink Sherlock took from the council’s elected members’ lounge at Town Hall, a matter she has apologised for.
“It’s not too late for the Greens to do the right thing and disendorse their candidate for Deputy Lord Mayor in Hobart, Zelinda Sherlock,” he said.
“It wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgement, but something that occurred deliberately over a period of many months.”
“It brought the council into disrepute.”
Behrakis suggested the Greens would demand the same of anyone else.
“They have done so numerous times in recent years, sometimes simply because a candidate has expressed views the Greens find disagreeable,” he said.
He said Sherlock’s behaviour “showed contempt for the resources paid for by hard earned ratepayers” and noted the matter was referred to police by what he called “a notoriously left-wing dominated council”.
“I have personally heard from numerous sources inside the Greens that numerous senior figures inside the party are deeply uncomfortable with the disrepute her actions have brought to the party she so recently joined.”
In response to Behrakis’ comments, Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff told Pulse the party was standing by Sherlock.
“The Greens back Zelinda Sherlock as one of our four excellent candidates for the Hobart City Council elections,” she said.
“She has extensive involvement across many communities and is a passionate advocate for the city. These issues have been well canvassed in public.”
“Zelinda made an unreserved apology and no wrongdoing was found.”
Woodruff said it was “unfortunate” Behrakis was focusing on the snack scandal instead of “what, if any, good things he wants to do for Hobart”.
CCTV footage had showed Sherlock leaving the lounge with bags of food and drink in January 2024.
She has said she believed the refreshments were part of her role.
Sherlock has previously described the scrutiny of her as a “political assassination”.
Independent legal advice in January found no misconduct, Tasmania Police concluded in March there was insufficient evidence for an offence and the Integrity Commission cleared her in June.
Tasmania’s acting director of local government ruled out further investigation last week, describing the saga as “an unfortunate and unhelpful distraction”.
