Binned post and apology from Kerridge, But Is There a Bullseye on the Mayor?

Updated 7:24pm

A Facebook post by Newcastle Lord Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge has sparked a political and administrative firestorm inside the City of Newcastle.

The controversy stems from a memo issued by CEO Jeremy Bath on 1 April 2025 that instructed staff not to refer to Dr Kerridge’s wife, Marion, as “Lady Mayoress,” citing advice from the Office of Local Government (OLG) and the absence of a council resolution. That internal directive was later leaked to the media, appearing in a  Newcastle Herald article on 12 April. Hours later, Dr Kerridge responded on Facebook, alleging bullying and deliberate exclusion of his wife by council staff.

Kerridge’s post, published at 12 April 2025 at 7:45am, described a “six-month campaign” against both him and his wife and framed the leaked memo as a “low blow” intended to humiliate her. He claimed emails were “lost,” seating was forgotten, and personal days were overridden with new events. He described the alleged conduct as toxic and disappointing, linking it to what he suggested was internal resistance to his new administration and to Marion Kerridge’s informal involvement in mayoral duties. Kerridge said that Marion had been integral to his campaign and was helping him manage a challenging schedule in the absence of permanent staff in his mayoral office.

The post received hundreds of public comments on Kerridge’s Facebook page in support, including from State MP Sonia Hornery, who described the situation as “embarrassing” for the city and criticised the handling of the memo by CEO Jeremy Bath. The Lord Mayor’s remarks also led to a broader community discussion around the use of traditional titles and the treatment of elected officials’ families within council systems.

However, the post drew internal concern from council staff, particularly over the serious nature of the bullying allegations made publicly without a formal complaint process. On 17 April at 12:08pm, the post was deleted. Later that day, Dr Kerridge issued a written statement retracting the allegations and offering a formal apology, saying it was not his intention to suggest staff had bullied him or his wife.

“I retract what I said and have deleted my post,” he stated. “I will be making no further comment on this matter.”

CEO Jeremy Bath responded, saying he was pleased the post had been deleted and that he did not intend to investigate further. He said the Lord Mayor had never previously raised bullying concerns in their private discussions. Bath also confirmed that the initial request for advice on the title “Lady Mayoress” came after inquiries from councillors and staff, not from the Lord Mayor himself. He noted that council staff had followed internal directions referring to Mrs Kerridge as “Lady Mayoress” until OLG advice in March clarified that the title required formal endorsement by resolution.

The Office of Local Government stated that while the title “Lady Mayoress” has no legal standing under the Local Government Act 1993, its use is not prohibited. Councils are free to adopt it by resolution if desired. The OLG further clarified that a mayor’s spouse may attend meetings with staff for diary coordination purposes, provided no confidential matters are discussed.

The title “Lady Mayoress” was traditionally used for the wife of a sitting Lord Mayor, but it lost formal recognition following the introduction of the Local Government Act 1993 in New South Wales. The change was part of broader reforms aimed at modernising council structures and promoting gender neutrality, especially as there was no equivalent title for male spouses of female Lord Mayors—such as when Joy Cummings became Newcastle’s Lord Mayor in 1974.

Despite its removal from official use, the title continued to appear informally and in ceremonial contexts, including references to Margaret McNaughton, wife of Lord Mayor John McNaughton, who served from 1986 to 1995 and John Tate’s wife, Cathy Tate. As recently as January 2023, “Former Lady Mayoress Cathy Tate” was named in a media invitation for a City of Newcastle event. Archival materials also show the term was used in relation to civic ceremonies in 2011 and 2019.

Despite this, some figures, including former councillor Aaron Buman, have argued that the title is outdated and inconsistent with modern governance. Buman reiterated his long-held belief that the term should be abolished, describing it as unnecessary and symbolic of inequality.

No formal disciplinary processes have been announced. Council has not confirmed whether further internal review will be undertaken. The matter appears closed following the retraction, but the episode has exposed internal divisions between council staff and the elected leadership and drawn attention to long-standing tensions around authority, change, and tradition within Newcastle City Council.

Since taking office, Dr Kerridge has faced a string of operational challenges. Leaked correspondence shows his office operated without a permanent chief‑of‑staff or executive assistant for at least five months. He has also alleged intermittent problems accessing council systems, including periods where email access was restricted. These setbacks have fuelled speculation that internal processes, whether by design or dysfunction, are frustrating the work of the Lord Mayor and his team.

In addition, councillors from across the chamber have criticised Dr Kerridge for refusing to supply them with a letter he sent to the NSW Office of Local Government calling for an investigation into Newcastle Airport’s finances. At a late item in last month’s council meeting, they passed a motion expressing “disappointment” at his decision to publicise the complaint in the media and on Facebook while withholding the document from elected members and asked that it be provided to them, even confidentially if required.

Timeline of Events

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Appendix 1 of 2 – Ross Kerridge’s Original Facebook Post

Dr Ross Kerridge – Lord Mayor of Newcastle
THEY’VE SPENT 6 MONTHS ATTACKING ME, NOW THEY’RE ATTACKING MY FAMILY
Many years ago, while visiting Gallipoli to pay my respects on Anzac Day (a story I hope to share under happier circumstances), I met the woman who would become my wife, Marion. We moved back to Australia and built a life together and raised two children together. While we’ve been incredibly fortunate, Marion has also been by my side through hard times. When I was critically injured in an accident while working for CareFlight and spent six months in hospital, Marion supported my recovery. While I worked hard as a clinical doctor at John Hunter Hospital, and travelled extensively leading change and improvements in the public hospital system, Marion held our family together.

This continued last year when I entered the political sphere. Marion was the heart and soul of the Our Newcastle campaign, and what other campaigns sought to achieve with money, we did through late night strategy sessions around our kitchen table, packing flyers in the garage of our house, or getting up at 4am on election day to put out signage at the voting booths. I mean it when I say I wouldn’t be where I am without Marion.

Marion and I are a team, and that meant that when I took up the Lord Mayor’s Office, this also meant Marion was involved and corresponded with the team. While attending events as the Lord Mayor is a privilege, the schedule will always be a challenge. I find it easier to maintain some semblance of a normal life and still have the time to visit our first grandchild (another of life’s blessings), if Marion has visibility of those appointments and corresponds directly with the council office. I acknowledge that might not be how everyone approaches calendar management, but we’re a team, and that’s how we’ve always approached it. For thirty years working a challenging schedule at John Hunter, this has never caused a problem.

Unfortunately, from day one that I commenced my duties as Lord Mayor, Marion was the target of an insidious campaign of bullying, undermining and gaslighting that is all too familiar to too many women in workplaces across Australia. Emails containing details of event schedules were “lost” and found later, when it was too late to adjust plans. There have been times when seating for Marion has been “forgotten” and overlooked at events she was invited to and had RSVP’d for. This has at times proved embarrassing for all. Days that were marked in the calendar as personal, (allowing us to get to Sydney to visit our new grandchild), would have events scheduled in the middle of the day. I cannot emphasise enough how toxic this behaviour is, and how disappointing it was, however I am coming to understand (at least somewhat), that a change in administration may be confronting for some.

This culminated in the extraordinary attack this week on Marion, fuelled by the deliberate leak to the Herald of a memo to Council staff.
I don’t blame anyone at the Herald for reporting on the memo. I don’t want to engage in the kind of attacks on journalists that some of my colleagues in the council chamber have regrettably engaged in.

The memo itself is a deliberate attack on my family. It was in response to the use of the phrase “Lady Mayoress” to sign an email, sent months ago.
The memo is disproportionate and a low blow. It’s designed to embarrass me and humiliate Marion. How are we meant to attract good people to become councillors when they know their families will be targeted? The answer is we won’t. The council chamber will remain dominated by those seeking a political career at all costs, not those who are genuinely there for the community.

Since becoming Lord Mayor I’ve come to realise just how much time is being wasted on politics, undermining, and leaking stories to the Herald rather than filling potholes, keeping our streets clean, and building and planning for our city’s future.

Recently, a councillor told me, “Newcastle council has always been like this.” Today, I’m calling for it to change. Not just for me, or Marion, but for the future of our wonderful city.

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Appendix 2 – Media Release from City of Newcastle
Statement retracting claims of bullying by the Lord Mayor

On 12 April the Newcastle Herald reported that Lord Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge accused City of Newcastle staff of waging “an insidious campaign of bullying” against his wife. This was based on a social media post made by the Lord Mayor on 12 April 2025. The social media post itself was a response to an earlier Newcastle Herald article about the use of the title Lady Mayoress. The Lord Mayor has now deleted this post.

‘’My social media post was a response to the article in the Newcastle Herald about the use of the title Lady Mayoress. It was in the context of a difficult and challenging first 6 months for both of us. It was not my intention to allege that council staff have bullied myself and Mrs Kerridge and I sincerely apologise for that.

“I retract what I said and have deleted my post.”

“I am excited and passionate about Newcastle’s future and am keen to get on with the job representing the Newcastle community.”

“I recognise that some members of the community use ‘Lady Mayoress’ by tradition however we don’t actively seek to use it.”

“I will be making no further comment on this matter.”

CEO Jeremy Bath wrote to the Office of Local Government in response to a request from two councillors and several staff who wanted clarification about the use of title Lady Mayoress.

“I did not seek clarification of the use of the title at the request of the Lord Mayor. He had told me that he was not seeking to use it.”

“The Lord Mayor and I met to discuss the allegations of bullying made in his social media post on Tuesday.”

“I am pleased that he has deleted the social media post and retracted his statements about any bullying of Mrs Kerridge by staff.”

“As a result, I do not intend to investigate this matter any further.”

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