MEDIA RELEASE
22 August 2025
Lifting the Tone: Elected Members Respond to Personal and Harmful Attacks
As elected representatives of Circular Head, we — Mayor Gerard Blizzard, Deputy Mayor Annette Dawes and Councillor Mark Dabner — feel compelled to respond directly to recent online commentary that has made false and deeply hurtful claims about our integrity and motives.
The commentary alleged that we were “associating with a convicted offender” following our attendance at a community event in October 2024. That accusation is utterly false.
The event was a joyful and meaningful intergenerational initiative, one of the finest examples of community connection we’ve had the privilege to be part of. Community members, young and old, came together to share stories, create art and build bridges across generations. We were invited to attend in our official capacities, and we were proud to do so.
To see such a well-run, community-driven event used in this way is not just disappointing, it is heartbreaking.
We live here. We work here. We raise families here. Like many of you, we shop at the same stores, cheer on the same local teams, and spend our weekends volunteering, coaching, and caring. We don’t just serve this community; we are part of it.
Every hour we spend as elected members, attending meetings, showing up at events, representing residents, is time given willingly and with a deep belief in what this region stands for. To have that commitment repaid with personal attacks, based on misinformation, is not only unfair, it’s hurtful beyond words.
We want to be absolutely clear: This was not a Council-run event. We did not organise it. We did not manage who attended. One attendee, who apparently has a conviction, was legally permitted to be there. We did not invite him. And we certainly did not, in any way, support or associate with him. At the time of the event, we were completely unaware of his history.
“To be accused of condoning abuse is devastating,” said Deputy Mayor Annette Dawes. “I have spent my career working in education. Child safety is not just a professional commitment, it is a personal one. These kinds of accusations cut deeply.”
Mayor Gerard Blizzard added, “It is gut-wrenching to have something so positive turned into something so toxic. This sort of misinformation doesn’t just try to damage reputations, it tears at the very fabric of trust in our community.”
Councillor Mark Dabner said, “We’re elected to represent, to listen, and to lead, not to be abused or falsely accused. There is a line, and this crossed it.”
We stand by all the volunteers and the children in the community who made the event so special. And we stand for a better standard of public conversation.
As proud signatories to the Lift the Tone campaign, we believe that disagreement does not have to become disrespect. Criticism does not have to become cruelty. Let’s make room for fair and honest debate, and call time on the personal attacks.
We will continue to serve with integrity and heart. And we ask that all members of our community join us in lifting the tone.