Hobart City Council still require Heritage Tasmania approval to remove William Crowther statue
If the Hobart council gives the go ahead to remove the contentious William Crowther statue in Franklin Square, it will still require one final tick of approval.
Tasmania
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If the Hobart City planning committee upholds the vote to remove the statue of William Crowther, the council will still need to navigate one final hurdle before it can proceed: approval from the Tasmanian Heritage Council.
Last August the Hobart City Council voted to remove the bronze part of the statue, leaving the plinth behind.
The statue is controversial because Crowther decapitated the corpse of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne and stole his skull, subsequently being suspended from his role as an honorary medical officer at the Hobart General Hospital.
This week, the planning application for the removal of the statue was publicly advertised by the council.
After further assessment by council officers following the advertising period, the planning committee will vote on the application, but that won’t be the final step in the process.
The full Heritage Council will consider the application at a meeting on August 18, which will mark more than a year since the Hobart City Council voted to remove the statue.
“The Crowther Statue is located within the bounds of Franklin Square, which is a place entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register,” a Heritage Tasmania spokesperson said.
“Once the Heritage Council makes its decision, this is forwarded to the relevant local government office which will incorporate the decision and associated conditions into its own development application permit.”
Hobart City Council deputy mayor Helen Burnet said the planning committee would be required to accept the heritage council’s decision.
“If the Heritage Council forms the view that the application should be refused, then the Hobart City Council, as planning authority, has a statutory obligation to refuse it,” she said.
“If the Heritage Council supports the application then it will likely state conditions that will be required to be included on a planning permit, if it is approved by the Hobart City Council.”
Heritage Minister Madeleine Ogilvie will have no say in the matter, but she does have the power to appoint members of the Heritage Council.
If the council is not satisfied with the outcome, it could appeal the decision with the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative tribunal.
Members of the public have until July 24 to lodge representations with council.
New sign proposed to explain why Crowther statue is being removed
July 11
A temporary 2m sign, which reads “WHY THE EMPTY PLINTH” could be placed in Franklin Square at the current site of the statue of disgraced deceased former premier, William Crowther.
The Hobart City Council plans to remove the bronze part of the statue of Crowther, leaving the plinth behind, after a vote last August.
The statue is considered controversial because of evidence Crowther decapitated the corpse of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne and stole his skull, subsequently being suspended from his role as an honorary medical officer at the Hobart General Hospital.
On Monday the application to remove the statue and install signage was publicly advertised.
The application shows plans to install a sign to explain how the council arrived at the decision to remove the statue.
“The temporary signage will have a minor adverse impact to the heritage values of the place owing to its bulk, scale, and prominent location,” the planning application said.
“However, it is of an obviously temporary style, and interprets the removal of the Crowther statue, and the reasons for its removal, mitigating some of the impact to the heritage values of the place.”
The sign would be more than one and a half metres tall and would be attached to a steel fencing panel with black zip ties.
In the long term, the sign will be replaced by a permanent display, which has not yet been decided on.
The planning report said the removal of the statue would reinforce the area as a welcoming place.
“The removal of the Crowther statue will have no impact on the civic function or urban design of the park, and in light of the changed contemporary understanding of the contribution of the monument including its adverse impact on some members of the community, its removal would be seen as a positive contribution to the civic function of the space,” it said.
The plan is open for comment for two weeks.
Council cements steps to remove controversial statue
July 5
Almost a year after the Hobart City Council voted for the controversial statue of William Crowther to be removed, a planning application has finally been lodged for it to be taken down.
In August, the council voted for the bronze part of the statue to removed, leaving the plinth behind, amid calls to do so from Hobart’s Aboriginal community.
The statue is considered controversial because of the misdeeds of the former Premier the monument is dedicated to.
Crowther was suspended from his role as an honorary medical officer at the Hobart General Hospital after he decapitated the corpse of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne and stole his skull.
The statue was erected in 1889, four years after Crowther died.
On Wednesday the development application for the removal of the statue was finally lodged.
Once reviewed by council staff, it will be publicly advertised for two weeks, during which time, members of the public will be able to make representations.
After it’s publicly advertised, the application will go before the Hobart City Council planning committee for a final decision.
If elected members vote in favour of removing the statue, it will go into the City of Hobart valuables collection.
The decision to remove the statue will make Tasmania the first Australian state to remove a monument to a former Premier.
Statue supporters’ last ditch bid to keep Crowther standing
Those opposed to the removal of the statue of disgraced and deceased former premier William Crowther should accept a council decision to take it down, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre’s Nala Mansell says.
A petition has been launched with Tasmania’s parliament to call on the Hobart City Council to keep the controversial statue standing,
“Crowther has not been given a fair trial by the council,” Ms Elliot said.
“Everyone has things that they don’t like but that’s part of living in a diverse community where people have different views. We can’t go deleting everything that some people are offended by.”
The petition also calls for the state government to develop a policy restricting what councils can do with monuments, such as the Crowther statue.
“The pressure to remove more of our history won’t stop with Crowther’s statue. A hit list is already being formed of things some people are offended by,” Ms Elliot said.
Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre campaign co-ordinator Nala Mansell said the vote, last August, needed to be upheld.
“The Hobart City Council already made the right decision, it’s disappointing to see people aren’t willing to accept the decision made that was supported by the majority,” Ms Mansell said.
“I’d urge those people, especially those elected to show leadership to move on to something more relevant and of benefit to the community.”
Ms Mansell said the delay was disappointing.
“The right decision was made, it’s unfortunate the statue still hasn’t been removed but we’re looking forward to celebrating its removal,” Ms Mansell said.
“We hope it will be actioned as soon as possible.”
City of Hobart city life director Karen Abey said there was a delay because of the complexity of the work required.
“Should the development application be approved by the planning committee, a planning permit will be issued, and subject to no planning appeals being upheld, allowing the bronze component of the statue to be removed legally, under the relevant legislation,” Ms Abey said.
“The bronze component will be placed in the City of Hobart valuables collection if it is approved for removal.”
Acting mayor Helen Burnet said there had been extensive community consultation on the matter and members of the public would be able to make representations when the plans were advertised.
She also said the council was working on its own monuments policy.
“The aim of this policy which was approved unanimously by the sitting council of the time, is to inform future additions or removals to the city’s collection,” Ms Burnet said.
“The draft is likely to be put before council for consideration in the next 3-4 months.”
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