Restore Democracy at Glenorchy Council

For more than two years the Glenorchy City Council has been under a Board of Inquiry. The Minister for Planning and Local Government initiated the Board of Inquiry due to concerns in relation to the governance arrangements at the Council. His concerns over the governance arrangements became so significant that in February 2017 he suspended the Council, and installed a commission for the remainder of the Board of Inquiry.

While the residents of Glenorchy deserve to understand the details of what has occurred within their council; the presentation of the final report of the Inquiry to the Minister has been delayed by ongoing legal challenges by some Aldermen and Senior Staff.

While the BOI remains held up in legal challenges, the residents of Glenorchy go without democratic representation. At present the Minister can only dismiss the Council, and call a new election, by way of considering the BOI report.

It is clear to many within the Glenorchy Community that there were members of the currently suspended Council that were fighting to ensure transparency. While it is clear to many that there were members of of the currently suspended Council that were not fighting to ensure transparency.

The Minister should consider presenting legislation to Parliament to allow an election to be held in Glenorchy; for the community to show that they have judged those that member of the suspended Council for not upholding the community expectations to govern appropriately, and to allow democracy to be re-instated.