Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate engaged in misconduct by interfering with disciplinary proceedings, Councillor Conduct Tribunal finds

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate engaged in misconduct by directing the former council chief executive officer to stop disciplinary proceedings against another staff member in 2015, a Queensland tribunal has found. Key points: The decision by the Councillor Conduct Tribunal was handed down in May and made public today The Mayor was told to issue a public admission on social media and pay two fines of $2,757 and $689 A spokesman for the Office of the Mayor said Cr Tate was seeking to have the findings reviewed In a scathing decision published on Thursday by the Councillor Conduct Tribunal, the council watchdog found: "The misconduct was viewed so seriously that the Tribunal considered whether it ought to recommend to the Minister that be suspended as Mayor". According to the decision, published on the Tribunal's website on Thursday, the Tribunal sustained allegations that Cr Tate engaged in misconduct by giving directions to then-chief executive officer Dale Dickson to "cease a disciplinary process in relation to his chief of staff", between December 6 and 12, 2015. Less than one month later, on December 7, 2015, Mr Dickson received a letter from Cr Tate "directing him to cease disciplinary action against Mr Moran", the decision reads.