Matthew Garwood makes statement on allegations against Danny Gibson (7/1/25)

Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood makes a statement on the allegations against councillor Danny Gibson. Video by Joe Colbrook and Aaron Smith (7/1/25)

Transcript

00:00Well, good afternoon, everyone. Now, it's impossible for me to overstate how shocked

00:13and concerned we are, the City of Launceston, by the information about Councillor Danny

00:18Gibson published in the Examiner this morning. Firstly, I want to make it very clear that

00:24we support all victims and their voices to be heard and action to be taken against predators.

00:31The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Commission of

00:38Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government Response to Child Sexual Abuse have demonstrated that

00:44organisations in a range of sectors have previously failed to safeguard children from abuse.

00:53Both inquiries found that poor organisational cultural practices enabled abuse and hindered

01:01proper investigation and reporting. A fundamental cultural shift across the broader community

01:09is required to rectify these issues, and under our current leadership, the City of Launceston

01:16was the first council in Australia to sign a Statement of Commitment implementing and

01:21abiding by all recommendations coming out of these inquiries.

01:28When allegations of predatory behaviour by Councillor Danny Gibson were first published

01:33by ABC in September last year, I wrote to Councillor Gibson and told him his position,

01:39in my opinion, was untenable, and I asked him to resign, particularly given his refusal

01:46to address the allegations. Councillor Gibson did not take my advice and remains a sitting

01:53councillor. It is important for our community and ratepayers to understand that under the

02:00Local Government Act, the Council has no ability to remove Councillor Gibson. But today, I

02:08am reconfirming my view that Councillor Gibson's position on Council is untenable. I believe

02:17it necessary that Councillor Gibson addresses these incredibly serious matters in his own

02:23time, however he sees fit, outside the responsibilities and leadership required of representatives

02:30of this community.

02:38Thank you for your time.