Controversial NSW councillor suspended without pay
The New South Wales government will suspend a Snowy Mountains councillor without pay and order him to apologise for alleged breaches of conduct.
The Office of Local Government has suspended Andrew Thaler from office for three months from May 14.
In scathing orders signed by the department’s deputy secretary, Brett Whitworth, Cr Thaler has been instructed to apologise to individuals affected by his alleged “offensive behaviour and intimidating online comments”.
The orders follow the release of a departmental report that detailed an investigation into Cr Thaler’s behaviour since he became a member of Snowy Monaro Regional Council.
The report refers to publicly available social media comments made in videos published on March 5 and 6 and the sharing of a post on March 14.
Andrew Thaler is a controversial character in the Snowy Mountains community. (ABC South East NSW: Floss Adams)
The orders state the suspension was determined by Cr Thaler’s “lack of remorse or contrition for his action” and the impact “his statements have had on those targeted by them”.
The ABC understands one of the allegations detailed in the report relates to transphobic comments Cr Thaler allegedly made towards a council staff member online.
During the almost hour-long video streamed on March 5, Cr Thaler questions the gender of a council worker and says “if you don’t know what you are, you’ve got a problem with your life”.
In the same post he insults the appearance of a fellow councillor.
Cr Thaler goes on to say “hashtag, this will be the eleventh-tieth code of conduct” breach.
Andrew Thaler during his first council meeting after being elected in 2024. (ABC News)
‘Trying to tell the truth’
Cr Thaler told the ABC he had been subjected to a “trial by media in a kangaroo court”.
“It’s a complete denial of my rights to natural justice,” he said.
“I have never had the presumption of innocence.“
Cr Thaler said he had previously written to the NSW Office of Local Government to indicate he was prepared to apologise.
“I was prepared to apologise but now the situation has devolved,” he said.
Cr Thaler said the council was “on a knife edge” and should be put into administration.
“I keep trying to tell the truth,” he said.
Council chief executive Stephen Dunshea said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that the suspension would help the “wellbeing of our staff and elected councillors”.
‘Without respect and decency as the starting point, the position of local government within the community and in public life is put in jeopardy,” he said.
A performance order was issued to the Snowy Monaro Regional Council in February. (ABC News)
Cr Thaler was elected to the Snowy Monaro Regional Council last October after multiple failed election bids in local government and at the state and federal levels.
He ran as an independent candidate at last week’s federal election and claimed little more than 2,000 votes.
The Snowy Monaro council is subject to a performance improvement order issued by Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig.
The ABC understands the Office of Local Government is treating Cr Thaler’s conduct as a matter of priority.
He is not entitled to exercise any of his rights as a councillor during the suspension, but the ABC understands he is permitted to attend council meetings from the public gallery.
