Glamorgan Mayor Bertrand Cadart has found himself at the centre of controversy over comments he made about bogans in Tasmania. Source: News Limited
A MAYOR from a little known piece of Tasmania is at war with his own council after calling a local town "ugly" and some of its residents "the most bogan of bogans".
Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Bertrand Cadart was quoted saying the people of Triabunna, a town within his council area on the east coast of Tasmania, were "too disparate, from the most bogan of bogans ... to the greenest pains in the a**".
"Take Triabunna. It is an ugly spot," he said. "Not because it's ugly intrinsically, but because it's populated by people who have no concept of aesthetics."
Cr Cadart was being interviewed by the The Monthly magazine for an article on the Triabunna woodchip mill. And while he made the comments, the eccentric French-born mayor insists his quotes were taken out of context as he didn't understand the background of the article prior to doing the interview.
"When I saw the quote my jaw dropped down to my naval," he told news.com.au.
Cr Cadart remains defiant and insists he will not stand down over the controversial comments. Source: News Limited
He admitted he shouldn't have said that he "did not give a sh**" about people in Triabunna and now his comments were being used to "crucify" him.
His fellow councillors are threatening to hold a no-confidence motion against him.
Glamorgan Spring Bay councillor Jenny Woods said she was outraged.
"His French flair can't excuse what he said, but that's not the story here," Cr Woods said. "It's a shame 100 words were taken and being focused on ... That being said, a mayor cannot say these things about the people he represents, and the town is not ugly. We think it's a beautiful place."
Cr Cadart told news.com.au that Tasmania was made up of very disparate groups and he used the word "bogan" and "ugly" in reference to some groups around the state.
"Since when has bogan become derogatory anyway?" said the colourful Mayor, who once played a bikie thug in the hit movie Mad Max.
"I could be classified as a bogan, I ride a bike, I swear, I've got a beard and, having been here for 45 years, I use slang."
He insisted Triabunna was ugly because, like most industrial towns, it "looked sh**". But he said cities such as Newcastle in NSW had shown what can happen when an industrial town is rejuvenated.
He said his interest was in getting the town working because the forestry industry was dead and he only wanted to see more people finish school and get into work.
Cr Cadart also said it may seem like Tasmania had more bogans than bigger states such as NSW, but it was just that they were concentrated on the island.
Cr Cadart pictured with his partner Catherine Fouquet said the comments were a storm in a teacup. Source: News Corp Australia
Another councillor, Richard Parker, told the ABC yesterday he was absolutely furious about the remarks and fellow councillors were upset.
"If that's the way the mayor feels about our area ... if he's not happy with the way it is, pack your bags, go back to France," he said. "Those that have been very close to the mayor have felt betrayed."
But Cr Cadart told news.com.au he always worked hard to deal with the downturn of the forest industry in the region and has no plans to stand down over the bogan comments.
Even if a no-confidence motion was passed, under the Local Government Act, he doesn't have to step down because he was voted in by the people, not the councillors.
He said some people in Triabunna were against whatever new plan was proposed for the closed woodchip mill site, and they were opposed to any new visions.
Cr Cadart insists he had the residents' interests at heart. Source: News Limited
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