2014 Q&A MAYOR VAN ZETTEN

Tasmanian Ratepayers Association Inc - 'Candidates Forum' for Ratepayers, Residents and Candidates

Issue 1 - Fresh Approach

1. Community Engagement, greater involvement by the community through use of technology to ascertain their views on services provided and service levels, facilities, Council performance, etc.
2. Strong leadership - State Government elected predominantly from North - North West with a focus on business investment and jobs. The City Council must capitalise on this political window.
3. Continue to lobby for financial support in the provision of facilities and services for the region (See Issue 3)
4.  I strongly support the City Heart Project aimed at revitalising our CBD area as a multi-faceted, retail, entertainment and cultural family focused environment.

Issue 2 - Commercial Experience

1. Qualified Chartered Accountant with over 35 years' experience.
2. CEO of large not for profit with commercial business undertakings for 18 years.
3.  Owned Mort Douglas Furniture Store in City for 7 years.
4. Good networks with State and Federal Government and within the community including business and community groups.
5. Experience as an Alderman and Mayor with providing governance to the largest Council in the State.
6.  Chaired and an active Audit Committee member providing probity and due diligence test to Council operations.

Issue 3 - Regional Facilities

1.  No contribution is made by Councils whose area is part of greater Launceston such as West Tamar and Meander Valley whose residents use these facilities daily.
2. The current situation is totally unfair that 66,000 residents pay for services used by Launceston's population of 108,000 people and more in the region.
3. I have received a commitment by the Treasurer and Minister for Local Government that he intends to address this matter to gain a fairer outcome. I will continue to lobby the Government strongly on this to hold them to their word.
4. The facilities do enable the City to provide an attractive lifestyle for its residents.
5. The Price Waterhouse Coopers report quantifies $58m per annum in benefits to the City's economy from AFL Football. Without Aurora Stadium this would not be possible.
6. We have installed co-generation infrastructure at Launceston Aquatic to reducethe $750,000 per annum energy costs. Learn to Swim attendances have more than doubled. Wet facilities cost money, dry facilities make money. Both are needed for an affordable Centre.
7.  I have made presentations to the current and previous State Governments on the unfairness of QVMAG funding. QVMAG costs the City Council $4.2m per annum. The Council receives $1.2m in annual grants funding from the State Government. TMAG receives $7.2m annual State Government funding and Hobart City Council contributes a minimal amount.
8. I have been a consistently strong advocate for amalgamation. As a regional centre of national significance it is impossible to plan for a sustainable and equitable city with the current arrangements which are absurd, unaffordable and grossly inefficient.

Issue 4 - Sustainable City

1. The Tiger bus is provided by Council at a cost of $250,000 per annum to reduce cars in the City.
2. The Council has recently conducted a transport strategy aimed at reducing dependence on cars.
3.  Many of the Metro bus services are under subscribed and not commercially viable.
4.  The Greater Launceston Plan and the Launceston City Heart Project are the most significant urban planning projects ever undertaken in the State. They provide a community engaged blue print for the future development of the City.
5. Launceston is blessed with numerous cycle ways and walkways which are such an integral part of our splendid lifestyle.
6.  A major emphasis of the Council is to promote inner City living to enliven the CBD into a dynamic environment. We are working with the Chamber of Commerce and Minister for Planning to remove obstacles to using upper floors of CBD premises for accommodation.
7. We are working with UTAS on their plans to revitalise the Northern Campus as an Inner City Campus located at Inveresk. Failure may jeopardise the viability of the Campus in Launceston.
8. The initiatives we have undertaken to reduce the carbon footprint of the Council's operations include the reuse shop and methane gas extraction at the Waste Centre, co-generation at Launceston Aquatic, solar panels on Council buildings, low wattage globes and a range of small initiatives.

Issue 5 - Rates

1. Rates are a form of taxation based on the value of land and buildings. Traditionally the more valuable your property asset, the more rates that are paid.
2. Flat rates are a regressive tax rather than a progressive tax. That is with a flat rate, a person with a lesser value property pays a greater proportion in rates than a neighbour with a higher value property.
3. There are equity issues on how the burden of the rate is distributed in these scenarios that need to be carefully worked through. A scenario where residents in Rocherlea pay the same rates per property as residents in East Launceston would generally be seen as unfair.
4. One of the early things the new Council will be required to do is establish its rating policy. Broad consultation and explanation to the community will be required to engage our residents on this complex topic to ensure fair and reasonable outcomes.