A former Footy Show personality turned local councillor says he is “celebrating” after being disqualified from public office for making homophobic comments.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ordered on Friday that former Newcastle Independents councillor Allan “Robbo” Robinson be prohibited from contesting the next election after he was found to have made “grossly homophobic statements against a fellow councillor” and remarking on “another councillor’s weight”.
He will be unable to stand for council until September 2028 after NCAT found the penalty was necessary to “protect the public from this kind of conduct”.
“Mr Robinson’s conduct in making homophobic remarks towards another councillor during a council meeting was clearly discriminatory conduct,” the report read.
“Such conduct diminishes public confidence in local government, and is fundamentally inconsistent with the role and responsibilities of a local councillor.”
Mr Robinson had an unusual reaction to the ruling and told NCA NewsWire the penalty was “inadequate”.
“I‘m going to appeal immediately because I think I think the penalty is inadequate and I should’ve gotten life,” he said.
“Once again, the government has failed and the cost of this to the Department of Local Government would be horrendous.
“This has gone on for years, it‘s embarrassing and it’s just a joke.”
Mr Robinson, who was a jockey and a favourite on Nine’s Footy Show before running for local council, went on to say he would be flying into Hamilton Island on Saturday after the ruling, telling NCA NewsWire he booked the holiday “because I’m celebrating”.
“I‘m celebrating (that) I don’t have to stand in a room with vile, putrid people anymore,” he said.
A 2021 report by workplace behavioural trainer Phil O’Brien into complaints made against Mr Robinson found seven out of eight allegations of bad behaviour were true.
Mr Robinson was found to have made homophobic remarks about Deputy Mayor Declan Clausen, referring to him as “custard” during a council meeting in July 2019. His remarks were caught on camera.
He was also found to have taken aim at Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes’ weight in an email to a constituent.
“I’ve spoken to Grahame about this something needs to be done if it was in fleet street where fatsos (sic) parents live it would have already happened,” the email read.
The lord mayor was not the only target of his weight-based comments, with councillor Carol Duncan also found to have been in the firing line for taking home leftover food at the end of a meeting.
“She’s a big chunky woman, she has got legs like Blocker Roach, she is a big unit,” he was found to have said.
“You’ve got no idea what she takes, its embarrassing what she takes home.”
Mr Robinson said he had apologised to those he had offended.
“I already have [apologised], because its to do with the other breed, you have to apologise for a couple of times for them to relate to that,” he said.
He did not clarify what he meant by “other breed”.
NCAT also found that Mr Robinson engaged “in unwanted physical contact with another councillor, in a forceful and intimidating manner”.
The ruling was welcomed by Mr Clausen, who said that he received “unrelenting” homophobic abuse from Mr Robinson.
“In addition to homophobia, the Tribunal found that Mr Robinson engaged in sexist and unwanted behaviour towards multiple female councillors. While his comments directed toward me attracted the most media interest, his actions towards my female colleagues were equally egregious,” he said.
“The NCAT’s decision to disqualify Mr Robinson from running in next year’s election sends a clear message to all in politics about the conduct our community expects of elected representatives.”