Small business operator runs for mayor, questions Paula Wriedt’s platform for Kingborough

A small business operator hopes to become Kingborough’s next mayor and has cast doubts over fellow by-election candidate Paula Wriedt’s recent comments. LATEST >>

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A small business operator hopes to become Kingborough’s next mayor and has cast doubts over fellow by-election candidate Paula Wriedt’s recent comments.

Hobart Hideaway Pods founder Clare Glade-Wright will vie for a position in the upcoming Kingborough Council by-election.

Former MP and current Kingborough Councillor Paula Wriedt recently said her work alongside former mayor Dean Winter on Kingston developments made her the ideal candidate to take his place, but Ms Glade-Wright questioned those comments.

Clare Glade- Wright of Hobart Hideaway Pods at Kingston. Picture Supplied

“I would like to remind Paula Wriedt that it was a combined effort by all of the councillors and mayor, and not just herself and Dean Winter alone in developing that relationship with the state government,” Ms Glade-Wright said.

“There is no reason someone new can’t pick up where these matters were left off and continue working effectively in moving Kingborough forward.”

Ms Glade-Wright said her point of difference was being in touch with the community through her work with local group Kingborough Thrives.

Clare Glade-Wright has thrown her hat in the ring as a candidate to become the next Kingborough Mayor. Source: SUPPLIED.

“We have been conducting consultations with hundreds of Kingborough residents in the form of kitchen table conversations and larger-scale world cafe events and the data we have been collecting has been informing my policies,” she said.

Ms Glade-Wright had been petitioning the council for green waste collection and more park and ride facilities when the process led her to become more interested in council and eventually consider running to be a councillor.

She said the general manager Gary Arnold encouraged her to take it one step further and run for the role of mayor.

Ms Glade-Wright felt confident her law degree, leadership experience, theatre training and community involvement gave her a worthy background for the job.

If elected mayor, she hoped to establish a profitable composting facility, an electric shuttle bus link and a string of changes to the council’s Climate Change plan, which she said was under-resourced by 90 per cent.

Former MP Paula Wriedt to challenge for job as Kingborough Council mayor

Sunday May 23, 5am

FORMER state member of parliament and long serving councillor Paula Wriedt has put her hand up to be Kingborough’s next mayor, with the backing of outgoing mayor Dean Winter.

Cr Wriedt would be the municipality’s first female mayor in its 114-year history.

She has served on the council for more than 10 years and prior to that was the youngest female Minister in a Tasmanian parliament when she was just 29.

Cr Wriedt told the Mercury she was ready to run “a strong, positive campaign” about the future of the area she had lived in and represented most of her adult life.

Paula Wriedt at a council meeting this month. She will nominate for mayor of the council. Picture Eddie Safarik

“This is my home and where I raised my kids. We live in Tasmania’s best municipality,” she said.   

“I have been proud to work with former mayor Dean Winter on important new developments like the Kingston Park playground and the designs for the rebuild of Kingston.

“We have developed a partnership with the state government that is starting to deliver dividends with the development of park and ride, funding for new bus stops and finally a commitment to the Algona Road roundabout.

“I want to keep Kingborough moving and continue to advocate for the services and infrastructure that are needed to support our growing community.” 

Cr Wriedt has received the endorsement of both current acting Mayor Jo Westwood now state MP Dean Winter.

Mr Winter said the Cystic Fibrosis Tasmania executive officer was the right person to take the council forward.

Former Kingborough mayor Dean Winter has given his backing to Paula Wriedt. Picture: Eddie Safarik

“We can’t afford to go back to the past – we have to move forward and keep pushing ahead with a really exciting program, revitalising our municipality and rebuilding Kingston,” he said.

“We need someone who is ready to hit the ground running and fight for our area. Paula was an instrumental part of my team. She was the driving force behind the development of a new strategic plan and our back-to-what-matters approach to service delivery and local infrastructure renewal.”

Cr Westwood said she wanted to work with Cr Wriedt as a leadership team.

“Paula has the experience, skills and community support to be mayor,” she said.

“She is the person I want to work with to make Kingborough even better.” 

Nominations for the mayoral by-elections in Kingborough, Glenorchy and the West Coast close on June 16, with polls closing on July 20.