Minister needs to change rules
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
RECENT dramas at Glenorchy are all too familiar to anyone who has endured the recent “civil war” at Huon Valley Council. The election of a popular Mayor in Peter Coad, on a platform of changing the secrecy and poor governance at our council, and the negative reactions of an entrenched faction, are all too similar to what has been on display at Glenorchy. In both cases the Minister failed to intervene quickly enough, and the Director of Local Government did not act to address the infighting, bad management and dysfunctional behaviour. Since October last year, Commissioner Adriana Taylor has been in charge at HVC, and is generally seen to be doing an admirable job at getting things back on track, and working through the 55 “recommendations” from the official Board of Inquiry report.
However, this is a slow process, and the commissioner needs more time to sort out the mess and complete the council restructure. Her term of appointment is due to end in October, so we urgently need the Minister to confirm the additional year she needs and has requested, to get Huon Valley Council fully back on track. The very last thing we want is for the “old guard” to be allowed to put their hands up for council again, and take us all right back to the bad old days of cronyism, secrecy and lack of consultation.
Some people have proposed that members of a sacked council should be banned from standing again, for at least the next term. Sometimes a clean sweep is the best solution. The Minister now needs to take urgent action to make it happen. They need it at Glenorchy, and we really need it here in the Huon. Stan Armstrong Cygnet
Who’s in charge?
I FIND it interesting that the Glenorchy Gazette states that the council has approved a rate increase. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t the council suspended? So, simple logic suggests that they did not do so. Should not the editor of the Gazette have corrected this “fake news” (Thanks Donald for the term) and informed us of who really approved the rate increase. Was it the commissioner? Roger Ayers Berriedale
Already crowded
AS a ratepayer of Clarence I am very concerned about the costs associated with getting the Kangaroo Bay site prepared for this $8 billion Chinese company Shandong Cambroad. In one of the many Premier’s media releases, he said that he was excited that his government would contribute the Crown Land and that council would assume project cost and risks with this development. Millions of our dollars being spent for an overseas private company to profit from our Crown Land astounds me! The complete disregard by the State Government and Clarence Council to the community consultation and participation policy process for the Kangaroo Bay Area is one of political arrogance to the rate payers and people of Tasmania.
Our village already struggles to cope with traffic and parking problems, let alone with the extra pressures that this over-development will inflict on our lives. Chambroad must be laughing all the way to the bank. Cheryl Davison Bellerive
Nice work for some
WITH the developments over the inquiry into the Glenorchy Council, could Acting Attorney-General Matt Groom and Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein please define the term “lawyers’ picnic”? Lindley Anning Lindisfarne
Change of mind?
I MIGHT be mistaken but when the stupidity came up about the Hobart City Council changing the date of Australia Day wasn’t Lord Mayor Hickey at odds with other council members because she did not want the date changed? What happened or is she just after brownie points? Jack Tims Rokeby
Simple budgeting
SO M. Wightman (Letters, June 12) pleas for rate increases to be regulated. This is a load of rubbish and it is this type of action which has contributed to the mess that many councils now find themselves. For too long ratepayers have endured councillors who do nothing to secure the longterm viability of the council. Voting to minimise rate increases serves only to eventually increase the cost of repairs — or worse not provide the service at all. And if you want examples then here are two — water and sewerage. As long as there is a reasonable amount set aside for emergencies and no cross subsidy, rates should represent the expenditure of the council, full stop, end of story. C.J. Scott Sandy Bay