New Gunnedah Shire Deputy Mayor Rob Hooke has made sexist and ageist comments on ABC radio, barely 24 hours into the job, claiming his predecessor stood aside because she was a “working mum” who did not have time for the role, and that he could take it on because he was retired.
Cr Hooke, who had previously served as deputy mayor under working dad Jamie Chaffey, made the ageist and sexist comments, unprompted, during an interview on ABC New England North West’s Breakfast program on Thursday morning, a day after Gunnedah Shire councillors voted to return Mayor Colleen Fuller and elect Cr Hooke as her deputy.
“It’s nice to have skin back in the game again, and you know I’m really excited to be able to support the mayor,” Cr Hooke told ABC New England North West breakfast host Kristy Reading.
“You know, she’s she’s a mayor of the people, and she’s she worked very very hard, and and basically had to do a lot of it on her own.”
“The deputy mayor did a great job, but she was a working mum, and couldn’t give the time that was necessary to support the mayor.”
“I feel, and it’s just nice because I’m retired, I can get back into that role and take some of the the heavy lifting away from the mayor.”
Cr McGrath rejected Cr Hooke’s characterisation of her time as deputy mayor.
“I am deeply disappointed by comments made on ABC Breakfast Radio yesterday by newly elected Deputy Mayor Rob Hooke, suggesting that my role as a working mother prevented me from effectively serving as Deputy Mayor,” Cr McGrath said.
“As a mother, a professional and an elected Councillor, I reject the idea that raising a family is somehow incompatible with serving the community.”
Cr McGrath pointed to other working mothers in leadership roles across the region, naming Glen Innes Mayor Margot Davis, the Honourable Sarah Mitchell MLC, and Gunnedah Shire Councillor Tammey McAllan.
She also questioned why Cr Hooke’s comments had focused on her parental status rather than on the substance of the role.
“If Cr Hooke found the performance of a male colleague to be lacking, would he attribute that to their parental status?” Cr McGrath said.
“If Cr Hooke felt, as he stated, that I was unable to provide Mayor Fuller the level of support she requires, why is her ability not called into question?”
At no time had Cr McGrath ever mentioned her work or family responsibilities in explaining her reason not to continue as deputy mayor. The polite reason was that it would free up time to campaign for the state election, and the less polite was that she could not support Cr Fuller as mayor. Yesterday McGrath confirmed that concerns about Mayor Fuller’s capacity to perform the role had reached the point where she could no longer serve as her deputy.
“My concerns about the leadership and direction of Council over the past two years are no secret and have, at times, been evident through my increasing frustration during Council meetings,” Cr McGrath said.
A review of a number of council meetings shows McGrath repeatedly coaching Mayor Fuller through the basics of meeting procedure so the Council could work through its agenda. Confusion about motions, amendments, and at times even the topic being discussed is a frequent challenge with Mayor Fuller in the chair.
Those concerns about Colleen Fuller’s capacity to serve competently became public earlier this year at the Australian Local Government Association conference, when she again became confused during debate and tried to amend a motion put forward by her own council advocating for flood and drought mitigation in dam construction, instead arguing Tamworth should have the water in Gunnedah’s catchment through proposed pipelines.
However, despite those concerns being widely and frequently discussed, it is understood that Cr Fuller was unwilling to give up the mayoralty, and other councillors said they did not want to upset the community believing Cr Fuller to be popular. Both Cr Hooke’s comments on radio and two other councillors have confirmed that the deal that was done to keep Cr Fuller in the job included much of the mayoral responsibilities, including chairing of meetings, to be held by Cr Hooke.
“I am also advised that Cr Hooke will be chairing meetings moving forward. I do not support that decision. In my view, chairing Council meetings is a fundamental responsibility of the Mayor and an important part of the leadership role that comes with that office,” Cr McGrath wrote on Facebook.
Partisan allegiances in the lead up to the state election appear to have also played a part in the apparent tensions. While her endorsement for Labor is not yet confirmed, the expectation is that McGrath will have a genuine shot for the seat of Tamworth as a well liked and well known local leader, with One Nation splitting the conservative vote away from incumbent National Kevin Anderson, and preferences becoming crucial in deciding the seat.
When asked in the ABC interview what the priorities were, Cr Hooke said,”Well, number one is to support Kevin Anderson.”
Cr Hooke’s comments were not the first time in recent memory that significant sexism has been shown towards the increasing group of inspirational younger women stepping forward to lead in the region’s councils. Another retired Rob, former mayor of Glen Innes Severn Council Banham, made a similar criticism of Mayor Margot Davis not having time for the role when he rage quit council after losing the mayoralty. Half of the region’s mayors are now women, most of them working mums.
Cr McGrath said she had received strong community support since Cr Hooke’s comments aired, but remained focused on her role as a councillor.
“Working mothers do not need anyone’s permission to lead. They do it every day,” Cr McGrath said.
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