A NSW councillor has defended describing his council’s CEO as a “disgusting, despicable lady”, telling an industrial relations tribunal that he was solely responding to insults.
WARNING: This text incorporates racist, sexist and offensive language.
The elected councillor from Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) is the topic of a cease bullying utility, introduced by the Improvement and Environmental Professionals’ Affiliation (DEPA) on behalf of SMRC CEO Noreen Vu.
Andrew Thaler gave proof to the fee on Tuesday morning about proof from Ms Vu that he had despatched her a number of emails since November 2025 and made a number of social media movies about her.Â
In steadily fiery exchanges with the barrister representing DEPA, Ian Latham quizzed Cr Thaler on whether or not he had used derogatory language when describing Ms Vu.
Cr Thaler admitted to utilizing the next phrases to explain Ms Vu.
“[A] calculating, conniving, unreasonable individual and a liar.”Â
“A despicable, disgusting lady …”Â
“A little bit Vietnamese woman with a boy’s identify …Â
“A corrupt, a bullying psychopath …”
“That brief little f****** witch.”
Cr Thaler gave a spread of justifications for utilizing the phrases, together with saying that he was mocking her or that he was being intentionally disrespectful to somebody he didn’t respect.
Noreen Vu alleges that Andrew Thaler has been repeatedly demeaning in the direction of her. (Provided)
“There is a broader context you are making an attempt to disregard or selectively truncate,” Cr Thaler mentioned.
He claimed that Ms Vu had attacked him and impugned that he was a paedophile, which was rejected by Mr Latham.
Cr Thaler mentioned the behaviour in the direction of Ms Vu was a part of “give and obtain, back and forth, assault and reply”.
“If individuals violate limits to assault me, then these limits will not apply to me in response,” he mentioned.
“If the boundaries are to use to me and no-one else, then now we have a failed society.”
Cr Thaler additionally made wide-ranging allegations in opposition to Ms Vu, SMRC Mayor Chris Hanna, SMRC employees, the United Providers Union, the Workplace of Native Authorities and Native Authorities Minister Ron Hoenig.Â
‘A grandstanding train’
In the course of the cross-examination, the lawyer representing SMRC, Oshie Fagir, interjected twice that in utilizing his solutions to place critical allegations on the general public file with out supporting proof, Cr Thaler was verging on an abuse of course of.
“We’re simply past the pale. Among the solutions have been utterly and completely scandalous and non-responsive,” Mr Fagir mentioned.
“This course of shouldn’t be allowed to show right into a grandstanding train.“
Commissioner Christopher Muir mentioned that a number of of the solutions given by Cr Thaler had been properly past the scope of the query and that non-responsive solutions had been unhelpful.Â
Andrew Thaler was elected to Snowy Monaro Regional Council in 2024. (ABC Information)
In his closing submissions, Mr Latham mentioned Cr Thaler typically made belittling and grossly offensive feedback to Ms Vu that had been unreasonable and repeated.
“This isn’t an utility that claims criticism will not be allowed in politics, as a result of it’s,” he mentioned.
“What’s vital is the way in which by which that criticism is made and what it’s about.”
“Cr Thaler believes he’s entitled to make any feedback he likes in the direction of Ms Vu due to what he sees to be a conspiracy in the direction of him. The conspiracy alleged right here is simply merely a nonsense.“
Andrew Thaler’s lawyer advised the fee he was in a “distinctive and politicised surroundings”. (ABC Information)
However Cr Thaler’s lawyer, Sharangan Maheswaran, argued Ms Vu has been unreasonable in perceiving a worry of hurt or intimidation from Cr Thaler.
This included a dialogue at council chambers in Cooma on January 23, 2026, in addition to in feedback he made to her about accountability.Â
He mentioned Cr Thaler lived in a “distinctive and politicised surroundings” as an elected official and that he was stymied by her in his professional position as a councillor searching for info in good religion.
“Ms Vu is entitled to maneuver a code of conduct [complaint]. She will transfer on any variety of these items,” he mentioned.
Mr Fagir mentioned accountability might be pursued by a councillor in the direction of council employees, but it surely didn’t justify the social media posts and emails despatched by Cr Thaler.
“What want is there for the sort of public castigation that occurred on this case?” he mentioned.
A number of authorized actions underway
Cr Thaler has been topic to a number of code of conduct complaints since being elected to SMRC in 2024.
He was suspended from council for three-month intervals twice by the Workplace of Native Authorities attributable to alleged breaches of conduct, with the newest suspension ending in Might.
Andrew Thaler has been beforehand suspended with out pay twice for alleged code of conduct breaches. (ABC South East NSW: Floss Adams)
A 3rd suspension was overturned by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), however that call is being appealed by the state authorities to the NSW Courtroom of Attraction with a instructions listening to listed for June 10.Â
If reinstated, the third suspension for misconduct would robotically disqualify Cr Thaler from holding civic workplace in NSW for 5 years.
Throughout cross-examination, Cr Thaler confirmed that he had additionally been referred to NCAT later this month below the efficiency enchancment order that SMRC had been below since February 2025.
He additionally confirmed a second matter involving him was being dropped at the Industrial Relations Fee.
Extra written submissions shall be acquired by Commissioner Christopher Muir earlier than June 12, and a judgment shall be delivered after that.
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