Tom Tate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mayor
Tom Tate
13th Mayor of the Gold Coast
Assumed office
28 April 2012
DeputyDonna Gates
Preceded byRon Clarke
Personal details
Born (1959-01-15) 15 January 1959 (age 65)
Vientiane, Kingdom of Laos
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal National (2008−present)
Other political
affiliations		Liberal (1999−2008)
SpouseRuth Tate
Alma materUniversity of New South Wales
WebsiteOfficial Website

Thomas Richard Tate is a Laotian-born Australian businessman, property investor and politician who is the current mayor of the City of Gold Coast.

He was first elected on 28 April 2012 and re-elected on 19 March 2016, 28 March 2020, and again on 16 March 2024 for a record breaking fourth term.[1]

Early life[edit]

Tom Tate was born in 1959 in Vientiane, Laos, to a Thai mother and an Australian father.[2] His father was an engineer who met Tate's mother, when building an airport for the Americans in Thailand.[3] At 11 months of age, Tate's mother took him to Thailand and falsely claimed it was a home birth in order to gain Thai-born citizenship.[4] His parents separated when his father moved back to Sydney from Thailand in 1970, and Tate joined him a year later.[5]

Tate attended school at Scots College in Sydney where he distinguished himself as a drummer in the school's pipe band.[3] He later pursued higher education and became a qualified civil engineer, graduating from the University of New South Wales in the early 1980s.[6] Initially, he embarked on a career in the construction industry. However, he later transitioned into the tourism and hospitality sector upon moving to the Gold Coast, where he managed his family's Queensland properties, including the Park Regis in Southport.[3][6]

Business career[edit]

Tate worked across the world before joining his father's development company in 1994 at the age of 35.[2] In 1992, Tate Sr bought the Islander Resort Hotel in Surfers Paradise,[2] where Tate managed the refitting of the building. In 1993, he took over management of the Islander. During the Asian economic downturn in the late 1990s, he offered hotel rooms for $2 per night, leading to the 1999 'off-peak price war'.[7]

In 2015 he sold the Islander Hotel Resort for $26.5 million.[8]

Political career[edit]

Tom Tate was elected Mayor of the Gold Coast in 2012 as an independent,[9] after the previous incumbent, Ron Clarke, resigned in February 2012, having announced his nomination as an independent candidate for the seat of Broadwater in the 2012 Queensland state election.[10] Tate had two previous attempts at the mayoralty before his successful attempt, including as an endorsed Liberal candidate in 2008.[11]

Since his initial election in 2012, Tom Tate's popularity has steadily grown, with his increasing first preference votes in subsequent elections.[12] Notably, Tate achieved more than two-thirds of the preference distribution in each election, demonstrating widespread support for his leadership.[13] This trend continued in the 2024 election, securing him a fourth term as Mayor.[14]

Tate’s 2024 election win was also a record-breaking victory as the City’s longest serving Mayor.[15]

He is noted for his claim that he does not accept political donations and self-funds his campaigns.[3]

Tate joined the Liberal Party in June 1999, and later its successor − the Liberal National Party − when it was formed in 2008.[16] He is also a life member of the Liberal National Party.[17]

Electoral performance[edit]

Electoral history
Election First preference Distribution of preferences
2012 37.05% 64.34%
2016 63.86% 73.14%
2020 55.73% 66.93%
2024 51.85% 66.32%

Reviews of conduct[edit]

ABC investigation[edit]

In September 2017, Tate was the main focus of an ABC Four Corners investigation and resultant program titled All That Glitters,[18] reported by award-winning ABC journalist Mark Willacy.

Following the broadcast, Tate banned ABC journalists from his press conferences.[19] Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk acknowledged the program raised valid concerns about the council's integrity.[19]

In December 2017, Tate filed a defamation lawsuit against the ABC and Councillor Peter Young.[20] In July 2019, he was ordered to pay 90% of the ABC's legal costs for attempting to amend his claim midway through the proceedings.[21] Tate withdrew his lawsuit against Young in December 2019.[22]

In July 2021, a Deed of Settlement was reached between Tate and the ABC, resulting in no adverse findings against the broadcaster. The ABC did not issue an apology or pay damages but covered mediation costs.[23] An Editor's Note clarified that the Four Corners report did not accuse Tate of corruption, and he denied any corrupt conduct.[24]

CCC Operation Yabber[edit]

On 2 March 2018, Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) announced it would investigate Mayor Tom Tate as part of Operation Yabber, a broader inquiry into the City of Gold Coast's decision-making processes. In May 2018, the investigation was expanded following additional allegations of official misconduct.[25][26]

By April 2019, Tate was cleared of corruption concerns related to council decision-making, asset sales, and the Waterglow development.[27] In January 2020, the CCC released an 84-page report detailing multiple policy breaches by Tate, misuse of taxpayer money,[28] and inappropriate direction of the council's CEO.[29] The report, described as a "scathing rebuke,"[30] highlighted that Tate's Chief of Staff, Wayne Moran, friends, and associates were beneficiaries through his position.[31]

The CCC found no grounds for criminal proceedings against Tate or any council members[32] but referred several matters to the Office of Independent Assessor (OIA). Since the OIA's establishment in December 2018, over 70 complaints have been lodged against Tate, with no findings of misconduct.[33] The investigations led to recommendations and reforms aimed at improving the ethical conduct of local council staff and officials.

Response to CCC investigations[edit]

Tom Tate has consistently maintained his innocence, alleging that the CCC overstepped its mandate in investigating him and the City of Gold Coast council. He publicly criticised the CCC and its chairperson, Alan MacSporran QC, calling for MacSporran's resignation. After pressure from various quarters, including Tate, a Parliamentary Inquiry into the CCC's investigation of former Logan City Councillors was launched. The report, released on 2 December 2021,[34] contained significant criticisms of the CCC's actions, leading to MacSporran's resignation in January 2022.[35]

Other misconduct[edit]

In December 2018, Tom Tate was found guilty of official misconduct by the Local Government Remuneration and Discipline Tribunal. He was ordered to undergo counselling and pay a $1250 fine for making "untrue and unreasonable comments" on social media, criticising fellow Councillor Glenn Tozer.[36] The comments were related to funding Tozer's MBA through a local university, which Tate deemed inappropriate use of ratepayer funds.[37] Tate admitted guilty in protecting ratepayer funds.[38] Subsequently, another allegation of inappropriate conduct was made against him, but there was insufficient evidence for a finding.[33]

Personal life[edit]

Tate has been married to his wife, Ruth, for 39 years, and they have four children all residing on the Gold Coast.[6]

Tate is bilingual and speaks two languages fluently – English and Thai – with limited elementary proficiency in Laotian.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ McDonald, Matt. "Tom Tate wins record fourth term as Gold Coast Mayor". Hot Tomato FM. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Mayor Tom Tate loses his father Warwick who had long battled with illness". GoldCoastBulletin. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d Houghton, Des (30 June 2012). "Fascinating man breathes life into Coast". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  4. ^ Robson, Frank (2 March 2016). "Only way's up for mayor of paradise Tom Tate". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  5. ^ Robson, Frank (5 March 2016). "Only way's up for mayor of paradise Tom Tate". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d "Mayor Tom Tate". City of Gold Coast. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  7. ^ Potts, Andrew (27 April 2019). "FLASHBACK - SURFERS OFFER: BEDS FOR $2/NIGHT". Gold Coast Bulletin. p. 61.
  8. ^ Tod, Quentin (24 June 2015). "Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate sells Surfers Paradise Islander Hotel Resort for $26.5 million". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Gold Coast mayoral race gets nasty". News.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  10. ^ Kelly, james (27 February 2012). "Clarke says Gold Coast needs independent MP". ABC News. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Stateline Queensland". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  12. ^ Electoral Commission of Queensland. (July 2019). "2020 Local Government Elections - Gold Coast City Mayor". Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  13. ^ "2020 Gold Coast City Council - Mayoral Election". July 2019.
  14. ^ Electoral Commission of Queensland. "Gold Coast City Mayor". Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  15. ^ McDonald, Matt. "Tom Tate wins record fourth term as Gold Coast Mayor". Hot Tomato FM. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  16. ^ "TOM RICHARD TATE". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  17. ^ Atfield, Cameron. "Independence of Queensland councillors questioned by CCC". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  18. ^ Willacy, Mark (13 September 2017), All That Glitters, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 26 November 2018
  19. ^ a b Caldwell, Felicity (19 September 2017). "Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate banned the ABC from a press conference". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Gold Coast May Tom Tate sues the ABC and Peter Young". Gold Coast Bulletin. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  21. ^ "Mayor ordered to pay ABC legal costs in pre-trial stoush | The Australian Business Review". The Australian. 10 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Mayor Tom Tate drops defamation case against councillor Peter Young | Gold Coast Bulletin". Gold Coast Bulletin. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  23. ^ "Marathon legal fight between Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and ABC ends". Gold Coast Bulletin. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  24. ^ "All That Glitters". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  25. ^ "CCC to investigate allegations of corruption relating to Gold Coast City Council decision-making - 2 March 2018 — Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland". www.ccc.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Gold Coast Mayor at centre of corruption watchdog investigation". ABC News. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  27. ^ Elise Kinsella (18 April 2019). "Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and council cleared over corruption concerns". abc.net.au. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  28. ^ Dennien, Matt (24 January 2020). "Gold Coast mayor spent ratepayer funds on luggage, Titans membership: CCC". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  29. ^ "'Haters gonna hate': Gold Coast Mayor shrugs off corruption report over buying luxury luggage, NRL membership". ABC News. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  30. ^ "Gold Coast mayor rebuked in CCC report". Australian Financial Review. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Operation Yabber | An investigation into allegations relating to the Gold Coast City Council" (PDF). Crime and Corruption Commission. 20 January 2020.
  32. ^ "Operation Yabber | An investigation into allegations relating to the Gold Coast City Council" (PDF). Crime and Corruption Commission: 32.
  33. ^ a b "Code of Conduct for Councillors". www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  34. ^ "Inquiry Details | Queensland Parliament". www.parliament.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  35. ^ "Statement from CCC Chairperson Alan MacSporran QC – 25 January 2022". 25 January 2022.
  36. ^ Dakin, Rebecca (11 December 2018). "Mayor Tom Tate fined and ordered to undergo counselling over misconduct ruling". myGC.com.au. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  37. ^ "Mayor's crackdown on council spending". The Gold Coast Bulletin.
  38. ^ "Misconduct ruling against Coast mayor".

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of the Gold Coast
2012–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tom_Tate&oldid=1225382078"