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

UPDATE: A GROUP of Glenorchy aldermen are set to meet this afternoon to discuss their options in light of a decision to sack them. SEE THE VIDEO

UPDATE: GLENORCHY aldermen are weighing up their responses to Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein’s announcement of his intention to sack the council and hold new elections.

Mr Gutwein announced earlier today that legislation would be introduced to sack the council with a poll to be held on January 16 to elect a new council.

Already two aldermen have told the Mercury they won’t run in the election.

Peter Gutwein announces his decision to sack the Glenorchy City Council. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Suspended mayor Kristie Johnston has scheduled a media conference for this afternoon where she will announce that she will run in the new election as mayor.

Matt Stevenson is also expected to announce his intention to run as is Jan Dunsby.

EDITORIAL: Enough is enough

MORE: Pledge to bring back democracy

Suspended deputy mayor Harry Quick and veteran alderman David Pearce have both told the Mercury that they will not run.

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

“Why didn’t he do that two years ago?” he 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.

“No [I won’t run], not again.”

Mr Pearce said he was “proud to have served the people of Glenorchy for the last 19 years”.

Suspended Glenorchy City Council mayor Kristie Johnston.

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

Jenny Branch-Allen said she would have more to say this afternoon, as did Steve King and Haydyn Nielsen.

Christine Lucas declined to comment.

Stuart Slade has been contacted for comment.

EARLIER: GLENORCHY City Council will be sacked by Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein and a new council poll held in January.

Mr Gutwein announced this morning that legislation would be introduced to sack the council and a new poll held to elect a new council on January 16.

The move follows a damning Auditor-General’s report into Glenorchy’s tendering processes surrounding the million-dollar engagement of Victorian company CT Management, headed by former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett.

Mr Gutwein said even though the Board of Inquiry into the council was still ongoing following legal challenges, it was time to act on Glenorchy.

“It’s time to end the uncertainty and restore democracy to the city of Glenorchy,” he said.

“For two years now the Government has been waiting for a Board of Inquiry report, the community has been waiting for a Board of Inquiry report that is continually being frustrated.

“The evidence from the Auditor-General, the damning assessment that he has made concerning procurement at the council has once again raised concerns in the Glenorchy community in respect to the management of their council.”

The legislation will be introduced into the House of Assembly as soon as possible with a view have it passed by the Upper House before the end of the year.

It would dismiss the Glenorchy aldermen, who have been suspended since February, and hold an election on January 16 — following normal Local Government guidelines.

Local Government elections are due in October next year, but Mr Gutwein said the proposed January poll would be the only election for Glenorchy next year if the legislation is passed.

Mr Gutwein dismissed concerns that having elections so soon would just return the same aldermen who have been so dysfunctional.

“The ratepayers of Glenorchy will make that decision, they both have the opportunity and the responsibility to elect the council that they want to guide their city’s future,” he said.

Labor member for Denison Scott Bacon said the community needed fresh elections but said the timing of the announcement was interesting.

“In terms of the approach that Peter Gutwein has taken it’s very interesting to see an Auditor General report come down one day and fully formed legislation the next,” he said.