Postal voting in Tasmanian local government elections begins from between 13 to 16 October and closes 10am, Tuesday 27 October.
TAP Into A Better Tasmania (TAP) is a non-party political movement. Voters who have added their names to TAP's Voters Block have pledged not to vote for candidates who support Gunns' proposed pulp mill in the Tamar valley. The Voters Block has over 23 700 registrations and has surpassed the original target of 22 000. The number is growing steadily and the new target is 28 000.
TAP has been contacting candidates in local council elections to ask the question "Do you support or oppose Gunns' planned pulp mill in the Tamar Valley?". Candidates who oppose the pulp mill and have given permission to publish their names are listed below.
Twenty five anti pulp mill candiates are in the local government elections for positions as councillors, deputy mayor and mayor across five northern councils.
We have made every attempt to ensure that the list is accurate but there may be one or two latecomers. Their names will be posted here as soon as possible. If there are any errors, or you would like to make a suggestion, please email tapcontact@gmail.com. Read more to see the list.
Candidates supported by the Voters Block as at 10.30pm Friday 16 October, 2009
*New information to assist voters in Launceston; see the voting record for a Council motion on pulp mill odour, below.
George Town Council
Councillors (10 candidates, 4 positions) - Andreas Ernst, Jim Welsh.
Launceston City Council
Councillors (20 candidates, 6 positions vacant) - Rosemary Armitage, Tom Ellison, Monique Huyskens, Paul Mallet, Adam Mostogl, Ian Norton, Alex Petrovsky, Ted Sands, Terence Seymour, Susan Stavros, Albert Van Zetten.
Deputy Mayor (3 candidates) - Jeremy Ball, Ian Norton.
Mayor (3 candidates) - Rosemary Armitage, Ted Sands, Albert Van Zetten.*
*Please note the voting record for a Council motion put on 18 May 2009 to write to Gunns Ltd to clarify critical issues with regard to the threat posed by fugitive odours from the Pulp Mill. See Government-Gunns watch for full details of the motion.
FOR VOTE - Ball, Norton, Armitage, Sands.
AGAINST VOTE - Dean, Beams, McKendrick, Peck, Shipp, Waddle, Van Zetten.
Meander Council
Councillors (13 candidates, 6 positions) - Rod Hutchins, Phil Parsons, Rodney Synfield, Deborah White.
Deputy mayor (2 candidates) - Bob Loone.
Northern Midlands Council
Councillors (8 candidates, 5 positions) - Irina Petrovsky.
West Tamar Council
Councillors (15 candidates, 4 positions) - Madeline Colam, John Farrar, Christina Holmdahl, Peter Kearney, Rod Stone, Sven Wiener.
Deputy mayor (2 candidates) - Peter Kearney "is opposed to a pulp mill in the Tamar Valley".
wishy washy councillors
Marti Zucco is not yet a councillor, but has already proved to be wishy washy, with his useless response to a questionnaire on Walkers proposal for Ralphs Bay - he said he had no opinion, which suggests he has his head firmly stuck in the sand. He is one of many who are happy to go with the flow and hope all the effluent passes them by. Presumably he thinks he can avoid having to get off the fence because the proposal is not in his electorate - Launceston councillors are showing how wrong this mindset is.
Jose
Wishy washy councillors
Interesting about the incumbent L'ton Mayor - him having his name as against the mill, but so many times - it's seemed to me at least - his language and voting at council meetings would appear to be opposite to him being agin it. ????? too late for him as far as my vote goes, his name wasn't on the TAP list when i checked on Wednesday.
Neither have i heard back [saturday arvo] from ANY OF THE CANDIDATES I RANG from the few who even had contact details. *grrr* I can only conclude that they expect 'us' to vote for them and when it suits THEM they'll let us know where they stand... ANYONE who hasn't yet grasped how seriously those of us who'll vote take the issue is IMHO too dumb to be elected.
Again, thanks TAP for all you do! :-) BTW hope you don't mind, i've printed out the list to give it to friends who don't have internet, and they were most appreciative!!!
6c legs,
Launceston.