{"id":14204,"date":"2024-03-13T12:32:23","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T01:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/?p=14204"},"modified":"2024-03-13T13:09:01","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T02:09:01","slug":"reaching-for-the-mountain-tops-in-mayor-tates-kingdom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/13\/reaching-for-the-mountain-tops-in-mayor-tates-kingdom\/","title":{"rendered":"Reaching for the mountain tops in Mayor Tate\u2019s kingdom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sue Baynes loves Christmas. A self-declared \u201cChristmas tragic\u201d, she gets her Christmas tree set up early \u2013 in November \u2013 and tells her husband every year, \u201cThis is my best tree yet\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The advisor to Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate shared her love for Christmas at a 2020 church service that was <\/span>live-streamed on Facebook<\/span><\/a>. In the sermon, she also tells the story of a Santa Claus who was working in Gold Coast shopping malls on a \u201ckingdom assignment\u201d. She recalled the time she bumped into this Father Christmas at a mall and had to take a moment before recognising the man behind the beard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs he got closer to me, he went, \u2018G\u2019day, Pastor Sue\u2019… He\u2019s talking to me and I\u2019m trying to figure out who he is. And then he said: \u2018Do you know what, Sue? I love this time of year. God told me to become a Santa at Christmas time and go to the shopping centres.\u2019… And he said: \u2018I felt like God gave this to me as a kingdom assignment. So I sit and I have hundreds of children come and sit on my lap, and I pray and I prophesise over every one. I lay hands on them, I pray, and I speak prophetic words over them \u2013 I speak God\u2019s word over them. None of them know that I\u2019m doing it. The elves don\u2019t even know. The mums don\u2019t know. But God knows.\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For Baynes, this covert operation was music to her ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I was like oh, Lord, that is the most beautiful example of a covert assignment. Just think about it. Where else would you get an opportunity to go and pray for little children, be able to lay your hands on them. If you tried that in school these days, you\u2019d be out \u2013 in no time flat. So he found a way because God said to him, \u2018I want you to minister to children.\u2019 …Thousands and thousands of children in our city have been prayed over because of one man\u2019s vision of what he is called to do out there in the community. No fanfare. He\u2019s just doing it unto God. He\u2019s being the ecclesia. He\u2019s shifting culture.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Operating in a covert way is how Baynes says she prefers to pursue her \u201ckingdom assignment\u201d of achieving sustained transformation of the Gold Coast, a growing city in south-east Queensland often dubbed \u2018sin city\u2019. But that all changed in early 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

In January of that year, Tate appointed Baynes \u2013 already his informal spiritual advisor since 2012 \u2013 to a ratepayer-funded advisor role. Documents obtained under Right to Information laws reveal the appointment was a \u201cdirect\u201d one \u2013 meaning there was no job advertisement or competitive merit appointment process. Among the documents is an email in which the Mayor\u2019s Chief of Staff outlines details of the appointment:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c…I write to advise of the Mayor\u2019s decision to direct appoint Ms Sue Baynes as a Councillor Advisor. Sue will be going into the current vacant position of International Relations Admin Officer with the position title \u2018Pastoral Care Advisor\u2019. Whilst this is a fulltime (1.0 FTE) position, this appointment will only be on a casual basis as fulltime work is not currently required.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A few weeks later, Gold Coast media began reporting the controversy over Tate\u2019s appointment of a \u2018Spiritual Advisor\u2019. Then, in March 2022, <\/span>having discovered a video of a 2019 speech<\/span><\/a> from an Apostolic Reformation Australia event, I revealed that Baynes was a <\/span>passionate supporter of the Seven Mountains Mandate<\/span><\/a> and had converted Tate to the ideology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baynes had met Tate leading up to his election as mayor in 2012. On the way to the initial meeting with the businessman, she prayed for the Lord to give her a word to share with him. And very quickly, as <\/span>she recalled at another Christian event<\/span><\/a>, the Lord gave her Proverbs 29:2:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it says, \u2018When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. But when the wicked rule, the people groan.\u2019 And at that moment I thought it could be a really short meeting!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Baynes felt emboldened to share her ideology. After discussing Tate\u2019s faith journey \u2013 his conversion from Buddhism to Christianity \u2013 Baynes took the opportunity to outline, on a piece of paper, the Seven Mountains Mandate. The dominionist ideology provides a roadmap for Christians to conquer \u2013 or to \u201ctake dominion\u201d of \u2013 key spheres of influence in society: government; business; education; media and the arts; entertainment; religion; and the family.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Baynes\u2019 several public retellings of this meeting, she has been emphatic that Tate fully embraced the idea of implementing the Seven Mountains Mandate, and asked for her support to do so if he were to win power. In an interview recorded at the 2020 Australian Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (ACAL) National Summit \u2013 the audio of which I accessed in 2022 on the Southern Cross Centre\u2019s SoundCloud account, <\/span>but has since been removed<\/span><\/a> \u2013 Baynes said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI asked for a piece of paper and I drew out the Seven Mountain Mandate. I thought I might as well just go for the whole thing in this meeting. And I did \u2013 I just drew it all out. And he said, \u2018Sue, if I become mayor, will you help me bring this to the city? And I said, \u2018Absolutely, I will. I\u2019m there 100 per cent\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The revelation about their support for the Seven Mountains Mandate sparked intense mainstream media interest in 2022, causing much unease at council chambers. <\/span>According to the <\/span>Gold Coast Bulletin<\/span><\/i> newspaper<\/span><\/a>, the appointment created a split among Tate\u2019s leadership group and left some councillors \u201cvery disillusioned\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Tate tried to brush it off as <\/span>\u201cfake news\u201d<\/span><\/a> in a radio interview, the Gold Coast community was clearly concerned. According to a poll by the <\/span>Bulletin<\/span><\/i>, 92 per cent of more than 500 of its readers believed Baynes should not be paid by ratepayers to advise the Mayor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite being asked by journalists, Tate seems to have successfully dodged providing a straightforward answer to whether he supports the Seven Mountains Mandate. In April 2022, the Rationalist Society of Australia\u2019s president, Meredith Doig, also called on him to <\/span>confirm for ratepayers whether he supported Baynes\u2019 ideology<\/span><\/a>, but received no answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amidst the media storm and public outcry, Tate said he <\/span>did not recall offering support for the ideology<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“If someone’s got a good idea, I will acknowledge it and go for it. [If] there’s a Christian group who wants to link the various categories in those mountains to instead of acting as silos, but to be one community, well we should all welcome it.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Also, <\/span>he told the ABC<\/span><\/a> that his personal views were just that \u2013 personal.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Similar to the views a journalist may have on a subject, the journalist must ensure their views do not influence their reporting. I apply the same values and principles to my role as mayor. That is, to keep my personal views private and to make decisions in the best interest of the majority of residents.”<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although the cover was blown on Baynes\u2019 under-the-radar “kingdom assignment”, Tate appeared to be unperturbed. In media statements, he said council policy required that staff members\u2019 personal views <\/span>not affect their employment<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Thousands of council employees have their own social media platforms and I expect many of these employees to publicly express their views on subjects like elections, fuel prices, religion, racism and discrimination. The important point is that these are their personal views and they must remain just that \u2013 personal. The same rule applies to the position of councillor adviser.”<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tate is facing re-election this month, with local government elections taking place across Queensland. <\/span>One media poll released earlier this month showed him behind<\/span><\/a> in the mayoral race. With days to go before voting, Gold Coast ratepayers remain in the dark as to Tate\u2019s views about the Seven Mountains Mandate. But concern over its potential influence on government is warranted.<\/span><\/p>\n

In an effort to counter reporting that ratepayers were paying for a ‘Spiritual Advisor’, Tate told the media in 2022 that Baynes\u2019 role in his office was that of \u2018Council Advisor\u2019 \u2013 one of council\u2019s four Council Advisor employees. <\/span>According to the <\/span>Bulletin<\/span><\/i><\/a>, it was expected Baynes would be in the role for about six months, filling a position made vacant by a staffer on maternity leave. However, she has continued to work as Council Advisor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baynes appears to view her role differently from that of an ordinary advisory one. In July 2022, <\/span>the ABC reported that it had obtained documents<\/span><\/a> about her contract and details of some of her work. While the contract defined her role as \u2018Council Advisor\u2019, Baynes characterised the role differently in communications with local pastors, describing it as \u201cnew\u201d and \u201cunique to the Gold Coast\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baynes has made no secret of using her role with the Mayor \u2013 before and after being added to council payroll \u2013 as a \u201ckingdom assignment\u201d for achieving \u201csustained transformation\u201d of the Gold Coast. In the 2020 ACAL National Summit interview, she said God had placed her with Tate and to walk with him in understanding his \u201ckingdom assignment\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the more he has embraced his kingdom assignment and understood that that\u2019s what it is, the more he\u2019s opened doors for the church and made a way for us.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In an letter <\/span>addressed to \u2018Prayer Warriors\u2019<\/span><\/a> in January this year and signed off using her formal title of \u2018Council Advisor, Office of the Mayor\u2019, she outlined a list of policy ideas following the summer’s storms, such as changes to laws about trees and making homes storm resistant, but also changes to planning rules to allow church buildings “within the community, rather than just (in) industrial areas and schools…”. But she urged the recipients of the email to see these as part of \u201ca bigger picture\u201d for the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, we want this place to be a safe place of flourishing for all residents\u00a0 <\/span><\/i>where Jesus is exalted, and His Kingdom is advanced in practical and demonstrable ways.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In a 2021 podcast interview<\/span><\/a>, Baynes talked about how Tate had begun involving her soon after winning election in 2012 and how she had since watched closely over him. She talked about communicating with him via text messages whenever she felt that the Lord wanted to communicate with him, including warning him of \u201ctraps that the enemy might be laying\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baynes has boasted of her gate-keeping role regarding who could access Tate. In the 2020 ACAL National Summit interview, she described having to \u201cshoulder-charge people out of the way\u201d to protect him from other influences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have learned\u2026about the weightiness of the assignment and how I have to steward that. It is such a precious thing, but it\u2019s such a privilege. But I have had to shoulder-charge people out of the way that try to get in on where God has positioned me. Because, if you can imagine, if you get in that place of influence \u2013 and especially with a Christian mayor \u2013 and you have a whole lot of piranhas that think there\u2019s blood in the water\u2026 But it\u2019s true. They see an opportunity for an open door to get their agenda forward. And I’m like, \u2018No, that is not what it\u2019s about.\u2019 I have to constantly guard my mayor because that\u2019s what God has given me to do. I guard him. I guard our relationship, his wife.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to <\/span>QNews<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Baynes also described herself as Tate\u2019s \u201cdiscerner\u201d in high-level meetings.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I sit in high-level meetings and he says to me, \u2018I want you to be my eyes and ears. I want you to hear in your spirit and tell me what you think we need to do in the city\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tate argued there was a great need to bring Baynes on board in a formal capacity following flooding events on the Gold Coast. He told the media in 2022 that he wanted someone <\/span>\u201clearned in the church world\u201d<\/span><\/a> who could connect resources and <\/span>bring faith groups together<\/span><\/a> in partnering with council on social issues like homelessness and domestic violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baynes had proven herself in this way. She was instrumental in building cooperation among Christian groups and organising activities, including the annual worship event \u2018Easter United\u2019. According to Baynes, <\/span>Tate gifted an amphitheater for the event at the cost of $94,000<\/span><\/a>. It was this first staging of the event in 2018 \u2013 and Tate\u2019s subsequent <\/span>public baptism by Baynes<\/span><\/a> on that occasion \u2013 that <\/span>\u201cshifted the spiritual atmosphere\u201d<\/span><\/a> of the Gold Coast.<\/span><\/p>\n