A former lord mayor has described some of the behaviour as "juvenile".
What's next?
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What → describe → behaviour
The battle for re-election to Hobart City Council has been mired by social media spats and personal attacks, echoing concerns the local government watchdog raised about councillor conduct earlier this year.
Accusations of ageism, fury over sign placement, ongoing debate over town hall snacks, and a fiery confrontation involving a lord mayor hopeful's parents were just some of the incidents to have unfolded.
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Accusations → mire → incidents
When asked about the election, former Hobart lord mayor Rob Valentine described some of the behaviour as "juvenile" and said residents were "sick of the infighting".
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residents → ask → infighting
"They really don't want to see candidates sniping at each other.
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candidates → want → other
They want to see people that are out there trying to address the issues that face our city," Mr Valentine said.
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Valentine → want → city
"You're obviously going to have very disparate views on things, but they need to be able to, like adults, sit down and discuss those."
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they → go → those
Local government elections across Tasmania officially began on Monday, with postal votes due by 2pm on October 27.
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votes → begin → October
'Ugly scenes' after debate
The divisive behaviour appeared to reach a crescendo when a heated confrontation erupted following a Hobart candidate forum hosted by property and business groups on Monday evening.
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confrontation → appear → evening
Co-host of the forum, Alex Johnston, told 936 ABC Hobart the event went "pear-shaped" after councillor Ryan Posselt's father asked a question without identifying his connection to his son.
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father → tell → son
Mr Johnston said there were then "ugly scenes" after the debate when Cr Posselt's mother got into an argument with councillors John Kelly and Louise Elliot.
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mother → say → Kelly
In a statement, Ms Posselt said she was "deeply ashamed" and described her behaviour as "inappropriate".
"I apologise unreservedly to everyone involved ... and to my son, Ryan, for the ruckus I caused and the damage my behaviour has done to his reputation,"she said.
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behaviour → say → reputation,"she
Cr Posselt told the ABC his father should have identified himself, but that his contribution was a "genuine question".
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contribution → tell → himself
He said he was "not responsible for anyone's behaviour except my own" but criticised Cr Elliot for filming his mother for "political mileage".
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he → say → mileage
Cr Kelly said the verbal abuse of candidates was "unacceptable", while Cr Elliot described it as "unfathomable".
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Elliot → say → it
"I support having a high threshold when it comes to subjective terms like 'offensive ', but there's a line," Cr Elliot said.
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Elliot → support → offensive
Ageism, snacks and signs
The forum confrontation was not the first time this election that policy debate has been replaced by direct attacks between candidates.
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debate → replace → candidates
Cr Posselt came under fire last week after posting on social media urging people to vote for younger candidates, rather than "men in their sixties and seventies".
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Posselt → come → sixties
Multiple candidates likened the comments to ageism, though Cr Posselt told the ABC he simply felt the current council was "skewed towards older, wealthy men".
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council → liken → men
The city's deputy lord mayor, Zelinda Sherlock, has been criticised by multiple candidates on social media after admitting to taking snacks and drinks from a council lounge on multiple occasions.
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mayor → criticise → occasions
In another incident, one candidate accused another of being disrespectful for placing campaign signage where it obscured other candidates' posters.
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it → accuse → posters
Councillors previously put on notice
Hobart's current councillors have already been put on notice by acting Director of Local Government, Luke Gregory, who has issued multiple warnings about their behaviour this year.
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who → put → behaviour
In early July, Mr Gregory wrote to all Hobart councillors warning them to stop "disrespectful" and "demeaning" conduct at meetings or risk formal action.
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Gregory → write → action
He said debate at a previous meeting "fell well short" of the standard expected of elected members, with councillors making personal criticisms of others.
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councillors → say → others
Mr Gregory said he was concerned about conduct worsening "in the shadow of the upcoming 2026 ordinary council elections".
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conduct → say → elections
He noted the former director had written to councillors about respectful relationships in August 2024, calling the problem "a recurring one".
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director → note → problem
Mr Gregory sent a second letter later that month, reminding councillors of their confidentiality obligations.
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Gregory → send → obligations
He said it was within his remit to recommend ministerial interventions in response to "systemic governance shortfalls, and/or council dysfunction".
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it → say → shortfalls
"Should conduct and standards continue to deteriorate, I will need to carefully consider and balance all potential regulatory options that may be appropriate in those circumstances," he wrote.
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he → continue → circumstances
Former mayor labels social media conduct 'a bit sad'
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mayor → label → conduct
Mr Valentine partly blamed the campaign's tone on social media.
"
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Valentine → blame → media
I think people for some reason think to get a profile they've got to make reasonably outlandish statements on social media to get a bit of cut through and that's a bit sad," Mr Valentine said.
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Valentine → think → bit
He said it was vital for councillors to work together despite disagreements, warning that if candidates "can't abide differences of opinion", it "doesn't really augur well for a smooth future".
"So we can only hope that people are sensible when they're putting those figures down on the paper as to who they're electing,"Mr Valentine said.
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Valentine → say → who
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