Accessible HTML format. Statements are also available in PDF format with candidate photos and web links.
Voting is now compulsory
Your vote must be received by 2pm on Tuesday 25 October 2022
Don’t delay – late votes won’t be counted!
There are 3 elections being held for West Tamar Council:
As well as this booklet, your postal ballot pack contains:
The ballot paper envelope has been specially designed to ensure the secrecy of your vote.
All returned envelopes are kept unopened under tight security until they are checked for validity.
After a sealed envelope has been verified, the flap showing the elector’s personal details and signature is removed under instruction of the returning officer, in the presence of witnesses, and securely stored until the close of the poll.
After the close of the poll and in the presence of witnesses, the now anonymous envelopes are opened in large random batches before the unidentified ballots are removed for examination and counting.
Successful candidates for Mayor and Deputy Mayor must also be elected as councillors to be able to accept these offices.
The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and councillors you elect will serve until October 2026.
Questions? Call 1800 801 701
Postal services take a number of days, so it is important to complete and return your vote now.
Your vote must be received by 2pm on Tuesday 25 October 2022
Follow these five easy steps:
Candidates were invited to provide a statement and photo for your consideration*.
Statements appear in alphabetical order but the names on the ballot papers are rotated.
The online version of this booklet contains web links where provided by candidates.
Number the boxes on each ballot paper from 1 onwards in the order of your choice.
For the election of 9 councillors, number the boxes from 1 to 20 in order of your choice, Number at least 5 boxes to make your vote count.
For the election of Mayor, number the boxes from 1 to 6 in order of your choice. Number at least one box to make your vote count.
For the election of Deputy Mayor, number the boxes from 1 to 4 in the order of your choice. Number at least one box to make your vote count.
Put your completed ballot papers in the ballot paper envelope, which is the smaller envelope with the wider flap, and seal it securely.
Sign your ballot paper envelope in the box on the flap to declare that you are the voter named on this envelope and you have voted on the ballot papers in this envelope. You must sign the envelope and leave the flap attached — or your vote won’t be counted. The returning officer will remove the flap with your details on it before opening the envelope.
Then put your ballot paper envelope in the reply-paid envelope — the larger envelope — and seal it.
Post your reply paid envelope straight away (no stamp needed), or take your vote to the West Tamar Council office.
*Statements are reproduced substantially as supplied by candidates.
I ask for your vote to be re-elected as councillor & deputy mayor. I have been an active member of our community & Council, providing proven full-time leadership & commitment to address your needs. We need to work together to build a strong healthy community. All essential services need to be delivered equally including appropriate infrastructure. I will continue to support a safe workplace for staff and a transparent Council. Political parties should not be part of local government; Council needs to ensure any changes in the local government review are beneficial to our community.
Candidate statement not supplied
Tasmania has too many councils, politicians and bureaucrats; I support council amalgamation and will pursue merger of West Tamar, George Town and Launceston into a single Tamar Valley Council; a 2018 KPMG study showed if George Town and West Tamar Councils merged, annual savings of $1.3 million would be achieved; think what could be saved if Launceston was included in such a merger?
I have lobbied hard for years for the health of the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary, increased Cataract Gorge flows, better cat management and improved recreational facilities for West Tamar youth. Please vote 1 for Jim!
I would like to represent you and ensure the services provided by the Council are of the highest standard. I have been a proud resident of the West Tamar region and want to contribute to the management of our local assets and have a say in how our rates are spent. I promise to lobby the state and federal for their contribution to fix our traffic congestion in both Riverside and Legana. I want to see greater access to emergency services such as ambulance and police and I support weekly rubbish and recycling collection. Let's make a change for the better and I ask for your number one vote.
It's been an honour to represent you for 8 years, ensuring Council delivers for our community. I plan to keep it that way. I'm a family man and local paramedic with 22 years' service. I stand for: keeping rates low; long term financial planning; highway improvements; progressing the Tamar Bridge; sensible policy. I support our early discount for rates and dog fees. I will fight its removal. We have a great Council but we can't take it for granted. We need good leadership to avoid dysfunction and self-interest. I will work for you to make our beautiful West Tamar even better! Thank you, Lynden.
I'm a genuine, dedicated, and proactive advocate for our community. Since being elected, I've encouraged transparency in decision making and genuine community consultation, because our community deserve input on where and how ratepayer dollars are spent.
There's nothing more important to me than the wellbeing of children and young people, which is why I volunteer as chair of Laurel House, board member of Playgroup Tas and serve on 3 Council committees. My priorities are improving footpaths, community services, safer roads, sustainability, and ensuring our area is accessible and inclusive.
Jorden Gunton is passionate about our West Tamar region and understands we need to plan now for the future. He believes in keeping rates low, reducing red tape and encouraging business and development within the municipality. Jorden is listening to residents and with your support he will fight for weekly rubbish collection and place a greater emphasis on resource sharing to allow for better roads, footpaths and drainage, as well as more inclusive parks and recreational facilities. Jorden believes in transparency, value for money and working hard for our community. Please vote 1 Jorden Gunton.
For the last 4 years my responsibility as councillor and mayor has been to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the community, to represent and promote your best interests and to ensure order and good governance of Council and in the community. If re-elected I will again give you my fulltime commitment to continue as I have in the last 4 years and I will take every opportunity to make where we live an even better place.
Over the past 2 terms I have worked very hard with integrity and competence and I have the energy and vision to make West Tamar an even better place to live, work and visit.
I am always available to listen to your concerns and do my best to find resolutions as I believe every member of the community has a right to be heard. My engineering and business experience puts me in a good position to understand technical and financial issues and I am confident I can take on even more responsibilities as deputy mayor. Politically independent and I believe Council should be there for the whole community.
Our Council needs new, strong and effective leadership. I will be a mayor determined to see Council's workplace culture problems fixed. A mayor who will stop a takeover of our Council by the Launceston City Council. A mayor with experience, skills and determination who will improve our governance.
I will lead a Council with ambition, imagination, always looking for improvement. Our West Tamar future means setting important goals together. Making life better for all our residents. Dealing with poverty and homelessness. Yet doing Council's core tasks efficiently. www.facebook.com/kearney4mayor
Tamar Valley is beautiful - let's preserve our precious natural assets for now & the future with sensible development.
As a multiple business developer here for 33 years, I envision Council's support for new ventures & job opportunities; affordable essential infrastructures for long-standing residential communities paid for by public postal bank solution. I commit to consult and represent you for safe roads, adequate footpaths/stormwater, new accessible community facilities. I have integrity, financial know-how, people skills & practical insight to represent you & help make this happen.
Work secretary Beaconsfield Hospital; business manager LGH; head of office to the Attorney General; MHR 2010-13: chair Procedures Committee, member Health and Ageing Committee, Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry, Privileges and M's Interests; Speakers Panel; chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Surf Life Saving; chair of the Caucus Economics Committee.
Volunteer president of the NTFA and NTNA, life member SLSA, SLST, LLSC, NLFC; OAM. I have contributed by supporting many projects on the West Tamar. I need your vote to continue to serve our community.
The West Tamar Council needs a fresh approach that focuses on serving the communities needs and interests immediately whilst making provisions for the future. As your representative I will serve you with transparency, honesty, and integrity. I am a family man with two young children. I will be accessible to all residents and garner community feedback and input on all projects. I am self-employed, a former publican and have strong financial acumen, I'm prepared to serve you full time. Together let's shape the future for the better. Your vote is important to me!
Candidate statement not supplied
Rick has been your councillor since 2007 and past deputy mayor. He feels privileged for the opportunity to run as your mayor. He is 54 years of age and would like to provide a new style of leadership and a fresh new approach to the mayor's role. Rick sees this as an exciting opportunity to lead your Council to become more contemporary and inclusive, with increased community participation and consultation when making decisions. Rick has extensive leadership experience as a paramedic as the northern operations manager, member of the Army Reserve, former deputy mayor and sergeant of police.
The West Tamar is my home and I want to see the community flourish. I am a Tasmanian-born medical doctor. After living overseas, I returned home in 2006, with my husband and two sons, to serve the local community. During this time the West Tamar community has grown, and in coming years it will be important to plan for the right services. If elected I pledge to work for you, the people, to improve quality of life and plan for future needs of the West Tamar region including enhanced family and senior services. For community wellbeing, please vote 1.
I believe WTC councillors need to support and guide the development of the whole of our community. Council needs to be able to act with knowledge, integrity, and honesty. I do not believe councillors should just be rubber stamps for the Council's staff, so they need to understand what is bought before them. With degrees in Economics, Planning and Law, if elected, I will attempt to hold Council's staff to account and support other councillors to do the same. Councillors need courage to guide the community and Council, to make the West Tamar a better place, in four years, than it is now.
My background: Exeter Primary, Riverside High, Launceston College, UTas Engineering BSc/BE Hons. Have worked few months in Beauty Point splitting scallops & bit in West Tamar vineyards/construction sites. Mostly do farm-type work. Once did 6 mth placement at Australian Sub Corporation. Was very exciting!
I want to see WTC treat residents fairly. Based on Australian Services Union complaints to Council about its alleged toxic workplace culture [Examiner 23 Aug 2021] & that ASU now fears payback, really is need for WTC to give people fair go. Hold Council AGM at 5.30pm instead of current 11.30am weekday time.
I have a small business background in manufacturing and a passion for grassroots community service. Since 2020 I have been a part time student of architecture at UTAS.
As a councillor I would focus on the challenges of climate change and work for a sustainable future for the common good, supporting projects for good business, housing, recreation, infrastructure, planning, and asset management. I support resource sharing with other councils that advantage our community. For a robust transparent consultative process and a resilient council vote 1 for a real independent. victoriawilkinson.com.au.
Independent and experienced, with the track record that shows my support for the West Tamar community. I have represented the West Tamar with enthusiasm and provided the skills, experience, energy and ideas that has ensured the West Tamar is one of the most desirable places to live, work and visit.
I am asking for your endorsement to continue to represent our community. Over my past eleven years on Council much has been accomplished thanks to my involvement. To guarantee a continuation of that good work I am asking for your support by giving me your number 1 vote.