Lobby group all talk, say aldermen

HOBART City Council will consider leaving the Local Government Association of Tasmania in an urgent motion put forward by two Hobart aldermen.

Hobart Aldermen Marti Zucco and Simon Behrakis have called for the council to exit the association, citing a lack of benefit to Hobart ratepayers and will push to form a metropolitan council association with Clarence, Glenorchy and Kingborough.

The duo are also seeking to follow the lead of Clarence City Council and leave the Southern Tasmanian Council Authority — a lobby group of 12 southern councils.

Kingborough and Glenorchy have motions to leave that group by July 1 on the books for their next council meetings, leaving the future of the organisation up in the air.

But yesterday, Huon Valley Mayor Bec Enders defended the southern council group, saying a regional authority was vital to lobby state and federal governments.

Ald Zucco said he had been pursuing a metropolitan association for years, and with little action on the amalgamation front, hoped the greater Hobart councils would sign up.

“This urgent notice of motion will be debated in the soonest full council meeting and will hopefully begin the process for the City of Hobart to leave two organisations that represent nothing more than a burden on our ratepayers and more talking without action,” he said.

Glenorchy Deputy Mayor Matt Stevenson said the question that needed to be asked is what value was Glenorchy getting from the authority.

“The answer is we’re not receiving any value from the STCA at all,” he said.

“It has not been an effective lobby group and has not provided any strategic oversight on issues facing greater Hobart such as housing shortage, transport,” he said.

The authority’s chairwoman and Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said many of the non-metro councils would be disappointed.

“But I am also aware metro councils are in a difficult position because we are about to embark on a new process with the Greater Hobart Act, so I can see both sides,” she said.

Kingborough Councillor Christian Street said the population of southern Tasmania was made up of regional and rural councils and trying to share objectives with metro councils was a futile endeavour that did not work.