Northern mayor’s ‘difficult’ quit call

LAUNCESTON Mayor Albert van Zetten has nominated Riverbend Park and the Launceston City Deal as among his proudest achievements, as he calls time on his 17-year career in local government.

Mr van Zetten, who was elected to council in 2005 before ascending to the top job two years later, said it was a “difficult decision” but the right one for him.

“I’ve never in my life had long-service leave,” he said.

“In this role, you don’t ever really get a break from the public or media.”

He foreshadowed a break of up to six months for him and wife Lyndle to spend time with family – the pair’s

second grandchild is just around the corner.

He reserved special thanks for his wife, who attended every event he did with “no grizzling, no negativity”.

Mr van Zetten nominated Riverbend Park and securing the Launceston City Deal in 2017 as among his finest achievements.

The retiring mayor, a former longserving chief executive of Launceston City Mission, revealed he and Lyndle began their campaign for the city to have its own “you beaut” destination park before public office had even crossed his mind.

“Lyndle and I wrote to the City of Launceston 20 years ago when we had young kids … (telling them) we needed a you beaut park,” he said.

The City Deal, meanwhile, was abetted by Mr van Zetten’s relationship with former Bass MP Andrew Nikolic and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, he said.

“It’s absolutely so important for our city and will continue to be.”

His biggest regret was that he was unable to complete the proposed Northern Suburbs Community Recreation Hub project at Newnham while in office.

“It’s something I continue to be passionate about, it is so needed,” Mr van Zetten said.

“If there’s one legacy I would have loved to leave, (it would have been) seeing it ready.”

Mr van Zetten kept his powder mostly dry when asked to anoint his successor – “I’ll leave it to the people” – but noted Deputy Mayor Danny Gibson was eminently “suitable” for the role.

Mr Gibson, who said in a statement Mr van Zetten “deeply cared” about the Launceston community, is yet to reveal his intentions.

Mr van Zetten also said the public should not read too much into the recent spate of Tasmanian mayors not seeking re-election. “Each case should be taken on its own,” he said.