Burnie City Council forced to reject petition to re-open consultation process for ‘cheese stick things’ Gateway Project

Most Burnie councillors want to reopen the consultation process for the city’s controversial ‘cheese stick’ gateway project, but the council has rejected a petition calling for it. Find out why.

A concept design for the Welcome Gesture sculpture that has been chosen to be built as part of the Burnie Gateway Project. Picture: Supplied.

The Burnie City Council has been forced to reject a petition with 1500 signatures to re-open the consultation process for the Gateway Project due to “financial and contractual reasons”.

This is despite many Burnie councillors, including Mayor Teeny Brumby, wanting to re-open the consultation process.

The council had decided last year to go ahead and build a sculpture called Welcome Gesture, designed by artists David Hamilton and Geoff Farquhar-Still, on a traffic median strip at the intersection of the Bass Highway and Wilson Street after an initial consultation process.

The design has attracted criticism from the public, with Burnie councillor Trent Aitken saying that he “absolutely hates the cheese stick things”.

A petition with 1500 signatures called for the consultation process of the Burnie Gateway Project to be reopened was lodged with the council by resident Anne Marie Ryan.

Mayor of Burnie Council Teeny Brumby. Picture: supplied

However, Burnie City Council general manager Simon Overland said consultation could not reopen as the project had progressed significantly.

“The Department of State Growth has approved the design, contracts have been entered and work is due to start within the next week on construction,” Mr Overland said.

“Delaying the project to enable further consultation would expose the Council to significant financial penalty.”

Mr Overland said the gateway project had received a state government grant.

“A grant deed has been executed, and if Burnie City Council were to depart from its terms, then it becomes liable for costs incurred to date, which are in the order of $500,000.

“These costs have not been budgeted for by Burnie City Council.”

At Tuesday’s Burnie City Council meeting, Ms Brumby implored her colleagues to move an amendment to reopen negotiations over the gateway project with design firm GHD and the artists. However, no amendment was moved at the meeting.

“I think we are thwarting this opportunity to not at the very least have a conversation … if we don’t have that on the table, it is over – it is a yellow gateway,” Ms Brumby said.

“I am bitterly disappointed the proposed amendment did not stand this evening.

“I think it would have reflected the will of our people who made a very clear message on my own social media page … 2000 people would have loved to have the colour blue introduced.

“I will not move [an amendment] because I do not wish to vacate the chair.”