Anna Reynolds brushes off Ron Christie’s cable car ‘parting shot’

NEWLY elected Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds has fired back at claims that a cable car development was set to divide the Hobart City Council.

Alderman Anna Reynolds, who is now the Hobart Lord Mayor, at an anti-cable car protest in August. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

NEWLY elected Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds has fired back at claims made by her predecessor that a kunanyi/Mt Wellington cable car development was set to divide the Hobart City Council.

Alderman Reynolds denied the council would begin a new term split over their views about a cable car development, and she accused former lord mayor Ron Christie of creating negative noise among the elected aldermen.

It comes after Mr Christie on Sunday said the voters of Hobart had elected two distinct factions — one favouring the Greens and one clearly Right-wing and pro-development.

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“It was a parting shot,” Ald Reynolds said.

Former lord mayor Ron Christie. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“Ron had tried to suggest there was some sort of done deal, that everyone was locked into certain positions [regarding a cable car development].

“As a leader, I want to remind people we have to keep an open mind and assess any development application when or if we get it.

“To start a new council with this view that we’re two divided camps around one project is not positive at all.”

Re-elected alderman Tanya Denison said she wasn’t sure which way aldermen would vote if a cable car development application was submitted.

“I can’t pick it at all,” Ald Denison said. “We’re all required to enter council without predetermined positions and not express our points of view.

“I think most aldermen share the same sentiment that they would like to see a proper process followed.”

Alderman Tanya Denison said with four new people on the council, it was difficult to predict how a cable vote would fall. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Aldermen voted in August for no cable car infrastructure to be built on council land after the Mt Wellington Cableway Company sought authorisation for a flora and fauna study at its proposed base site.

NO TO CABLE CAR INFRASTRUCTURE ON COUNCIL LAND

COMMITTEE SAYS NO INFRASTRUCTURE ON COUNCIL LAND

Ald Denison said the 7-4 August council vote may give an indication to the views of a number of aldermen, but she said gauging the views of the new council would be nothing more than speculation given there was no development application before council.

“We saw the vote prior to the election where a number of aldermen supported a barrier to this particular application, but with four new faces on council, it’s hard to say how a vote would fall,” she said.

“I hope the new council will approach all development applications with proper consideration.”