Local government in Tasmania is facing a period of significant reform, with the possibility of amalgamation, new models of resource-sharing and continued work on moving to a statewide planning scheme.
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As the closest level of government to the community, councils do a lot more than just managing our rates, roads and rubbish.
A 21st century council is judged on its ability to directly influence people’s lives and across the state municipal workers are taking on more responsibilities than ever before.
The Examiner’s local government reporter HOLLY MONERY reviews some of the most prominent council-related stories from 2016.
THE FLOODS
Three major flood events swept across Tasmania in 2016, but the June floods were the most testing for Northern Tasmanian councils.
Three people died, hundreds were displaced and infrastructure was decimated by the deluge. Repairs are ongoing, with bridge and road replacements taking signifcant resourcing.
A major setback for the West Tamar council is the potential sinkhole which could open beneath the iconic Beaconsfield headshaft, after rainfall caused significant cracking and surface subsidence.
The City of Launceston was recognised for its use of social media during the crisis by winning the ‘Innovative Government' category in the 2016 BOFA Innovation Awards.
FEDERAL ELECTION
The Coalition says it will stick to its promises of delivering significant funding for projects councils campaigned for in the lead up to the election.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt said the government would provide $1.5 million over three years towards the Tamar River Recovery Plan to continue silt raking of the estuary
Cash was also announced for mobile blackspot towers, a forestry research centre, funding roads at George Town and $2.8 million for the Legana Town Centre Boulevard.
But the biggest windfall came late in the campaign, with confirmation of $150 million worth of funding for the University of Tasmania relocation and $7.5 million for the City Heart project.
TASWATER
TasWater’s local government owners agreed to freeze dividends as the company committed to upgrading infrastructure and removing 24 boil water alerts across the state.
Money saving measures for the $1.5 billion capital expenditure program saw distributions to councils frozen at $20 million and payments will be halved to less than $10 million for seven years from July 2018.
A long-running stoush between the City of Launceston and TasWater was also finalised in 2016.
It was determined the council would pay TasWater $1.5 million for the maintenance of the stormwater component of the city’s combined system. TasWater attempted to bill the council $5.8 million annually.
RICHARD NICHOLLS
George Town councillor Richard Nicholls was removed from office in May, after general manager John Martin found him to be ineligible to continue in the role after moving from the municipality.
Mr Nicholls moved to Launceston to renovate a property for sale, but intended to subsequently build on land owned by his wife at Hillwood.
He was deemed to not to be occupying land in the George Town municipality.
The vacant role was filled by Christopher Ashley.
RAOUL HARPER
Flinders Council general manager Raoul Harper was sacked by the council following a closed meeting at the end of June.
The community reacted with anger and shock, with the council yet to give a list of reasons as to why Mr Harper was dismissed.
Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein chose not to intervene, saying the council did not breach the Local Government Act.
Bill Boehm was appointed as Mr Harper’s replacement.
NEW BLOOD
West Tamar Council’s Ian Pearce and Meander Valley Council’s Greg Preece both made the call to retire.
Mr Preece was replaced by Martin Gill, who spent three-and-a-half years as the director of development services before taking on the role of general manager in August. Rolph Vos took over from Mr Pearce at West Tamar. He started with the council as a trainee building inspector in 1996.
INTERNAL UPHEAVAL
The Huon Valley Council was dismissed in October and is under formal administration after the mayor Peter Coad withdrew from participating in mediation sessions.
The Glenorchy City Council was the subject of a board of inquiry, which was put on hold after a supreme court challenge. The report and its findings have not yet been made public.
Meanwhile in November the Glamorgan Spring Bay mayor Michael Kent said the council had engaged a private investigator to uncover who was responsible for leaking confidential documents to a southern Tasmanian newspaper.
STIMULUS FUNDING
Northern councils also had the opportunity to grab a share of a $60 million loans program for infrastructure projects, set up by the state government.
To date nine projects across the Northern Midlands municipality will be brought forward with a $6.4 million loan and four projects totaling $20 million in the City of Launceston will be accelerated.
NOTABLE EXTRAS
- The Meander Valley Council continued to deal with the ongoing fallout of leasing the Meander Primary School site to global Christian organisation Teen Challenge for a drug rehabilitation residency program.
- The Dorset council formally committed to financially underwriting the merging of the Aminya and James Scott aged care facilities.
- The Break O'Day Council gathered national attention with a notice of motion proposing a ban of Wicked Campervans.
- Targa Tasmania's George Town Super Stage was put in doubt after the council rejected an event partnership request.
- Northern Midlands Council is continuing to actively pursue a solution to the state’s end-of-life tyre storage problem.
- The dispute between the Launceston Airport and Northern Midlands Council over rates heated up.
- The Launceston City Council committed to building a $9 million car park at the CH Smith site.
