Residents welcome Peter Gutwein’s decision to look at sacking Glenorchy City Council

GLENORCHY ratepayers are welcoming the decision by Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein to introduce legislation to sack the council and hold fresh elections early next year.

Glenorchy ratepayers Jenifer 74, left, and Noel, 72, Modystach welcome Peter Gutwein's decision to introduce legislation to sack the council. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

GLENORCHY ratepayers have welcomed the decision by Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein to introduce legislation to sack the council and hold elections early next year.

Glenorchy Residents and Ratepayers Group committee chairman Phil Butler said the minister was doing the right thing by returning democracy to the community. “At long last, the financial impost on Glenorchy ratepayers appears to be halted,” he said.

“We welcome the opportunity to vote [for a new council].”

Mr Butler also said the group would continue to call on the State Government to publicly release the Board of Inquiry report, which has been held up because of legal challenges.

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Glenorchy residents Noel and Jenifer Modystach say the decision to sack the city’s council is the right one.

“If they are not getting on then something has to be done,” Mr Modystach said. Mrs Modystach said ratepayers and residents were sick of the constant fighting that has marred the council since October 2014.

“We just want a peaceful and harmonious council,” she said.

Suspended mayor Kristie Johnston has said she will stand for mayor at the election on January 16 should the Government’s legislation get through both Houses.

Council allies Matt Stevenson and Jan Dunsby also will run again, with Mr Stevenson to challenge for the deputy mayor position.

“Over the last three years I have shown that I have taken the fight up,” he said.

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

Mr Stevenson notified The Tasmanian Audit Office about the issues the council had with engaging the services of CT Management — the basis for an explosive report handed down on Tuesday.

He said the reaction by Mr Gutwein vindicated his decision to refer it to the state’s public sector watchdog.

Ms Dunsby said she also would run again.

“I will certainly put my hand up to run again as an alderman,” Ms Dunsby said.

“My position is that we’ve done the hard yards ... we’ve now got a responsibility to put the council back together.”

There will be a vacancy for the deputy mayor position with Harry Quick to resign from the council today.

The former Federal Labor MP will formally hand in his resignation to Glenorchy acting general manager Tony McMullen.

Mr Quick said the decision by Mr Gutwein was too little, too late.

“Why didn’t he do that two years ago,” Mr Quick said.

“He has wasted $1 million and now that there’s a scent that the mayor will run in Denison, he is making political moves.

“What are the political motivations behind this?”

Veteran alderman David Pearce also said he would not contest the election.

“I’m proud to have served the people of Glenorchy for the last 19 years,” Mr Pearce said.

“As an alderman I have always acted in the best interests of the municipality.”

Jenny Branch-Allen said she wouldn’t make any comment at this stage. But she added that there was a lot to be said and it would all eventually come out in public.

Christine Lucas declined to comment when asked by the Mercury.

Steven King and Haydyn Nielsen did not return calls after initially being contacted by the Mercury yesterday after Mr Gutwein’s announcement

Former mayor Stuart Slade did not return calls.