Embattled Port Hedland businessman Adrian McRae will face a no confidence vote after he appeared on Russian state television lauding the “transparency” of the Russian election process.
Embattled Port Hedland businessman and local councillor Adrian McRae will face a vote of no confidence after he appeared on Russian state-owned television lauding the “transparency” of the Russian election process.
Mr McRae made national headlines in March when it was revealed the former Great Australia Party candidate and newly minted Town of Port Hedland councillor had travelled to Russia, at the behest of the Russian ambassador to Australia, to participate as an election scrutineer.
Post-election, footage published by Channel One State News, showed Mr McRae congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory.
“Can I please pass on sincere congratulations to Mr Vladimir Putin,” Mr McRae said in the footage.
“In my memory, the world has never seen such a transparent and comprehensive victory as what we saw here over the last three days.”
Mr Putin won 87.8 per cent of the vote, the highest result in Russia’s post-Soviet history, according to an exit poll by pollster the Public Opinion Foundation.
Mr McRae’s comments sparked outrage across Australia’s political spectrum, with Premier Roger Cook calling the commentary bizarre.
“I don’t think that’s the sort of thing we expect our local government authority councillors to get up to,” Mr Cook said.
“I hope that he will obviously be counselled by the Town of Port Hedland in terms of his conduct, but I also expect the people of Port Hedland to express their dissatisfaction with that next time they have that opportunity.”
Now, Hedland councillors will vote on whether they still have confidence in Mr McRae to fulfil his role on council.
Town of Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter, who called the vote and faced a no confidence motion of his own just two months ago, said it was necessary to demonstrate to the community Mr McRae’s comments were not endorsed by the town.
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations co-chair Stefan Romaniw condemned Mr McRae’s support for the Russian president and welcomed the vote of no confidence, labelling his comments “sickening”.
“The council has an opportunity on Monday to reflect community sentiment and show Adrian McRae that his appalling pro-Russia cheerleading has no place in Port Hedland,” he said.
“We hope the motion of no confidence is carried, and that Mr McRae does the right thing and resigns with immediate effect.”
Former Ukrainian resident and Port Hedland local Natalia Klymenko – who has twice had to abandon her home and job in Ukraine – condemned Mr McRae's comments.
“Like Australia, Ukraine is a peaceful nation, but one that is again being subjected to unprovoked, brutal aggression from Russia,” Ms Klymenko said.
“I am upset to hear the same Kremlin narratives used by Mr McRae here in sunny Port Hedland, which is full of friendly and kind-hearted people.”
Mr McRae is the owner of Port Hedland-based civil, mining, and marine infrastructure construction company GBTK.
The vote of no confidence will take place at a special council meeting at 4.30pm on April 22.
