Gutwein to sack Glenorchy Council and fresh council election to be held in January

UPDATED: SUSPENDED Glenorchy mayor Kristie Johnston says she is on the lookout for potential new candidates to help her establish a “transparent and accountable” council. WATCH THE VIDEO

SUSPENDED Glenorchy mayor Kristie Johnston says she is on the lookout for potential new candidates to help her establish a “transparent and accountable” council, following an extraordinary day in the long-running saga.

Just one day after a damning Auditor-General’s report into Glenorchy’s tendering processes surrounding a million-dollar engagement of Victorian company CT Management, Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein made an unprecedented move in Tasmanian politics.

Mr Gutwein announced and then introduced legislation into the House of Assembly to sack the council and hold a new election on January 16. With the Board of Inquiry still ongoing more than two years after it was first established to investigate dysfunction and infighting at the council because of numerous legal challenges — Mr Gutwein said enough was enough and something needed to be done.

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“We are confident of our legal position but there is no certainty in this process, another legal appeal could be made and the likelihood is that the government may not receive that Board of Inquiry report until sometime in 2018,” Mr Gutwein said.

“It’s time to end the uncertainty and restore democracy to the city of Glenorchy. “We believe that the best way forward for this community is to have democratic elections and have a democratically elected council.

“It’s now up to the ratepayers of Glenorchy to accept both the opportunity and responsibility and elect the council they want for the future.”

Ms Johnston said ratepayers wanted a council that was transparent and accountable and she would run for the position of mayor again.

Kristie Johnston with Matt Stevenson, left, speaking to the media on Peter Gutwein's decision to introduce legislation to sack the council. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

“They [ratepayers] deserve a council that represents them and the community’s best interest,” she said. “The Glenorchy community has been crying out for a council that is transparent and accountable and, hopefully after an election in mid January next year, they can have that.

“I have had a number of people come to me and say that they would like to stand with me for council; the fact that they have come to me it gives me hope that we might have a new council.

“I am calling for expressions of interest for potential candidates who might like to stand for council with me.”

Ms Johnston said if elected as mayor, she would not stand for Denison in the State Election as an independent candidate, which has been a strong rumour in political circles.

But Mr Gutwein said the decision to introduce legislation to sack the council had nothing to do with ensuring Ms Johnston did not enter State Parliament.

“[It had] nothing at all [to do with Ms Johnston],” he said.

“Nothing at all, this is about restoring democracy to Glenorchy.”

However, Labor MP for Denison Scott Bacon said the timing of the announcement was interesting. “We’ve been calling on the government to hold fresh elections for Glenorchy for sometime now,” he said.

“It does seem interesting that Minister Gutwein has seen to taken a different approach with the Glenorchy City Council to the Huon Valley Council.

“In terms of the approach that Peter Gutwein has taken, it is very interesting to see an Auditor-General report released one day and fully drafted legislation tabled in parliament the next.”

Mr Gutwein said the circumstances between Glenorchy and the Huon Valley, which will have ex-MLC Adriana Taylor as Commissioner until October next year when all other Tasmanian councils have elections, were different.

“The Board of Inquiry [into Glenorchy] has been ongoing for over two years now, the councillors have been suspended for nearly nine months already,” he said.

“By the time of that [January] election next year it will almost be 12 months since the councillors have been suspended so the circumstances are vastly different.”

A January election would be the only one for Glenorchy.

Mr Gutwein said he was hopeful the legislation would pass the Upper House and would be tabled by the middle of next month.

“That community needs certainty, that community needs democracy returned to it that’s why I would hope the Upper House supports it,” he said.

The cost of the Board of Inquiry has passed the $800,000 mark and is approaching $1 million — a cost to be borne by ratepayers.

It is not yet known just how much a Glenorchy election outside of the previously scheduled date would cost.