In the early ’90s, the “Ormond College Affair” served Australians an early glimpse of what would become cancel culture. A Melbourne University academic was accused of groping two female students at a valedictory dinner and party. The now-familiar chaos followed. Although the accused was cleared by the Victorian County Court, his academic career was over.
The affair was an early litmus test of just where the line is in such ‘sex and power’ cases. Where does a clumsy, inappropriate bit of lechery become harassment or assault? Are sexual advances from people in even minor positions of power inappropriate, of themselves?
These issues are being played out in Tasmania’s second city, Launceston, with a former mayor standing accused.
It all began early in 2023, with revelation that then-mayor and local theatre identity Danny Gibson’s Working with Vulnerable People registration (similar to New Zealand’s Children’s Worker Safety Check, except that it also covers the disabled and elderly) was under review. A month later, Gibson resigned, citing “speculation, rumour and vile attacks”.
Now, concrete allegations have emerged.
A former Launceston mayor and influential theatre production manager has been accused of having a pattern of inappropriate conduct with young men in the theatre scene and making unwanted sexual advances.
Multiple people have told the ABC that former mayor and current councillor Danny Gibson, 41, made unwanted advances to them, including through physical contact, phone calls and text messages.
To be fair, the complaints made public so far all involve people above the age of consent (although one cuts it extremely close to the line). So, no illegality, there. Whether the WWVP registration issue has been resolved is unclear.
Three people have agreed to share their stories while others were reluctant to go public, citing concerns over potential repercussions they believed they might face, such as missing out on theatre roles.
Gibson is a very big fish in the small pond of the northern Tasmanian theatre scene.
Mr Gibson, a former Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year, was elected to City of Launceston Council in 2011 and has for years taught drama to young people at the Stage Right Youth Theatre, alongside his local government work.
He was also involved as a director, stage manager or actor in more than a dozen shows for local amateur dramatic company Encore Theatre, which has put on musical theatre productions with large local casts.
He was elected Launceston Mayor in 2022 before stepping down in May last year.
One complainant, then 21-year-old ‘Bill’ claims that Gibson propositioned him at an after-party.
“Like he wouldn’t even give me eye contact during the show, he was just so cold towards me.”
“And then like, all of a sudden, I’m alone with him and he’s asking me deeply personal questions about my sexuality […] I’m just trying to finish off this this cigarette and be done with the conversation because I really wasn’t comfortable with it.
“He just said flat out: ‘God my c*** is so hard right now, my c*** is so hard right now, you should feel it.’
At this point, the line suddenly seems to become less blurry.
“I just froze until I had my hand on his c*** through the top of his pants.”
After some wrestling, Gibson gave up, ‘stomped inside, and slammed the door behind him’. So, a clumsy, if particularly grotesque pass?
In more recent years, Bill’s path has again crossed with Mr Gibson in a professional context, and he has found it extremely distressing.
“Honestly, whenever I work with him, I cannot work for the next two days because I think about ending my life,” he said.
“What the worst part about it for me is that he’s got so much power, not just in council, but in the greater Tasmanian theatre community and the schooling community, and just all of Tasmania.”
The other stories are in much the same vein. A then 17-year-old student claims that at first innocent-enough text and social media exchanges later escalated to sexting, nude photos, dirty phone calls. It all culminated, some years later, at a Theatre Council awards night in Hobart at the Wrest Point Hotel Casino. After an attempted pass which, according to eye witnesses left the young man, “really upset, crying, I don’t know if he was sobbing, but he was just shaking,” Gibson continued to pester him through the night with ‘non-stop’ phone calls.
The ABC is also aware of another incident in which multiple sources have claimed someone was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by Encore Theatre members over an alleged incident involving an actor and Mr Gibson.
LGB Tasmanian activist Jess Hoyle attempted to raise the issue of the allegations against Gibson at a council meeting earlier this year. Launceston City Council has scrubbed nearly all of Hoyle’s questions from the record and mayor Matthew Garwood directed that the microphone be taken from her.
All that remains on the council’s record is this exchange:
Do you mayor, support predatory behaviour towards young people?
The Mayor Councillor M K Garwood responded no.
While he resigned the mayoral role, Gibson remains a sitting councillor although Garwood has now written and asked him to resign.
In response to questions put to Tasmania’s Department for Education, Children and Young people in relation to Mr Gibson being at Launceston College, a spokesperson said:
“The department is unable to comment on individual matters.”
“Any allegations that have been raised with the department are investigated in accordance with established processes.”
So, is this just a ‘homophobic campaign’, as some have called it? Or just inappropriate behaviour that’s been blown out of proportion?
Or is it incumbent on people in positions of power to be aware of lines that should not be crossed?
