
By Brett Tessari
Mayor of Bass Coast Shire
BASS Coast Shire Council is saddened and offended at the appalling conduct of the ex Minister for Local Government towards the Minister for Women. His behaviour was misogynistic, threatening and totally at odds with the outstanding progress made by Bass Coast Council towards building gender equity and creating a more welcoming and respectful Victoria.
Bass Coast Shire Council is an organisation that has zero tolerance of violence or bigotry of any kind. We pride ourselves on developing a culture of inclusivity and respect. We have a longstanding and strong commitment to preventing men’s violence against women and supporting our LGBTIQ community.
Mayor of Bass Coast Shire
BASS Coast Shire Council is saddened and offended at the appalling conduct of the ex Minister for Local Government towards the Minister for Women. His behaviour was misogynistic, threatening and totally at odds with the outstanding progress made by Bass Coast Council towards building gender equity and creating a more welcoming and respectful Victoria.
Bass Coast Shire Council is an organisation that has zero tolerance of violence or bigotry of any kind. We pride ourselves on developing a culture of inclusivity and respect. We have a longstanding and strong commitment to preventing men’s violence against women and supporting our LGBTIQ community.
It is an absolute disgrace that in 2020 we still see the type of behaviour. We will not stand back and let this behaviour occur, which is why I am calling it out. We are an organisation that will always call out violence and bigotry when we see it, and will work hard towards the prevention of these behaviours in our community, because there is no place for them. Cr Tessari read this statement at the start of Wednesday’s council meeting, in the wake of revelations about violently misogynist and homophobic comments made by the former minister for local government, Adem Somyurek. Mr Somyurek was sacked as minister and expelled from the Labor Party on Monday. Bass Coast Post: You said in your statement that you were appalled and disgusted by Adem Somyurek’s misogynist tirade. But were you surprised? Brett Tessari: I must say I wasn’t terribly surprised. The former minister’s got a bit of history. You hear about these things. I was surprised he was so open about it and so aggressive about it. Post: When women hear these sorts of tirades, they wonder if this is how men still talk amongst themselves behind closed doors, even in 2020. BT: Unfortunately I can say yes and it really does frustrate me. You don’t hear it as much any more but it still happens. Recently I was at a meeting with a fantastic lady involved in mental health. Such a good meeting. When I got back to the car I returned a call from a gentleman … he’s a nice guy, he has a fair position, he’s certainly not aggressive, but some of the things he said were very sexist. I know he would never say those things in the open, in front of people. He felt comfortable, unfortunately, to say it to me. And I pulled him up on it. But the fact is that it still happens. I think the fact that people do it behind closed doors and not in the open means they know they’re doing the wrong thing but it still happens. The only way to combat it is to call it out whenever we hear it. Post: How do you respond to men who talk like this? BT: To people I know who’ve got daughters and sisters I make the point, “You realise someone is talking about your daughter or sister the way you’re talking about them? Do you think that’s the right thing to say?” I don’t go a whole lot further than that. I have a 22 year old daughter so I’m mindful of how people talk. | THEY SAID IT “She's a stupid, stupid mole. I’m going to f...ing knock her f...Ing head off. She’s a f...ing psycho bitch." Adem Somyurek, sacked minister for local government "Words matter. Violent, misogynistic language perpetuates the attitudes and behaviours that enable a culture of violence against women." Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Women and subject of the Somyurek tirade I’m deeply saddened and disgusted by the fact that we’ve got men speaking about their female colleagues like this. When they think they’re safe, men can be very colloquial in what they say and do, but this sort of testosterone-fuelled stuff is frightening for women. On two occasions while I was the MP for Ringwood, the phrase "You disgust me!" was spat at me by middle-aged men in very public spaces, but with no one nearby to hear. The first was in the Parliament house dining room, delivered by an opposition MP, in response to a speech I had given on family violence. The other was at a local public meeting about work cover legislation. The abuse was unexpected and shocking. I felt quite frightened for my personal safety. These personal insults, so full of hate, never leave you. Those men, at that time, felt they had won their argument hands down, because of the numbing shock I obviously felt. Each of them felt it was OK to speak to me in such a degrading manner. These men feel an entitlement to reduce, shame, intimidate and ultimately silence women. They feel their voice is the only voice entitled to be heard. No more! Today I would stand my ground, not shrink, look them in the eye, stand toe to toe (very hard when they are so much taller then you!) and say very loudly "This man is threatening me!" Kay Setches, MP and minister in the 1982-92 Labor Government |
Post: You’re a white Australian male. You played football when you were younger. Tell me a bit about your own journey. Have your own attitudes changed to women, the LGBTIQ community, people of other cultures?
BT: My attitudes have definitely changed. I was very self-centred. I lived in a bubble. Growing up, there were all kinds of things thrown at all kinds of races, including me, being of Italian background. I copped a bit of name calling. I took that as part of life. Playing football, you would call someone whatever you thought would put them off their game. You’re trying to put people off their kick. You don’t think of the impact it will have on people as they get in their car and drive home, or in their home life where they’re copping it all the time.
As you get older, I hope you get wiser. You start to think about those things, especially as you have your own kids. You encourage your kids to be better than you were. I truly believe the next generation are better at this than we were. They’re more accepting. They’re not racist, they’re not sexist. My younger son and his friends couldn’t care less: female, male, black, white. They’re just friends. That warms your heart. I think we’re going to be in safe hands with the younger generation.
I put my changed attitudes down to a little bit of wise old man but also to the fact that my eyes have been opened since I’ve been on the council. I’ve seen that not everyone chooses the lifestyle they end up with. Sometimes it’s forced on them. Living in a bubble, I didn’t always see that. I really do believe I’ve come out of being a councillor a better person than when I went in.
BT: My attitudes have definitely changed. I was very self-centred. I lived in a bubble. Growing up, there were all kinds of things thrown at all kinds of races, including me, being of Italian background. I copped a bit of name calling. I took that as part of life. Playing football, you would call someone whatever you thought would put them off their game. You’re trying to put people off their kick. You don’t think of the impact it will have on people as they get in their car and drive home, or in their home life where they’re copping it all the time.
As you get older, I hope you get wiser. You start to think about those things, especially as you have your own kids. You encourage your kids to be better than you were. I truly believe the next generation are better at this than we were. They’re more accepting. They’re not racist, they’re not sexist. My younger son and his friends couldn’t care less: female, male, black, white. They’re just friends. That warms your heart. I think we’re going to be in safe hands with the younger generation.
I put my changed attitudes down to a little bit of wise old man but also to the fact that my eyes have been opened since I’ve been on the council. I’ve seen that not everyone chooses the lifestyle they end up with. Sometimes it’s forced on them. Living in a bubble, I didn’t always see that. I really do believe I’ve come out of being a councillor a better person than when I went in.