The Glenorchy City Council will be dismissed and fresh elections called after the state’s upper house granted the government power to do so.
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The move came on the same day that the council’s general manager Peter Brooks lost an appeal against a previous court decision to allow for a damning report on council operations to be released.
A Board of Inquiry investigation was ordered by the government after months of infighting and dysfunction but Mr Brooks claimed the process had denied him natural justice and the report, if released, would cause him reputational damage.
The full court found Mr Brooks’ claim that he had no opportunity to put his version of events to the board before it had made its findings was “misconceived”.
It found the grounds for appeal lacked merit and that there was no practical injustice in the board presenting the draft report in the manner it did to all involved.
The board of inquiry investigation is anticipated to cost more than $1 million which would need to be paid for by the council.
Mr Brooks has been on paid leave since April.
He is paid $280,000 a year.
Meanwhile, the Legislative Council passed legislation to allow for the council’s mayor and aldermen be sacked and for a fresh election to be held on January 16.
This was despite members expressing concerns around the short amount of time in the lead-up to the election and whether the Board of Inquiry report would be available.
Government representative Leonie Hiscutt informed the house that the passage of the bill would enable the report to be released sooner.
Suspended mayor Kristy Johnson said she would run for the position again.