Clarence City Council will begin the process of conducting an elector poll on the placement of the AFL/AFLW High Performance Centre following the tabling of a petition of over 1000 Clarence residents at tonight’s Council meeting.
In accordance with the Local Government Act, if a petition of 1000 signatures calling for an elector poll is submitted to Council within 30 days of a public meeting, Council must conduct the poll.
Council officers will begin checking the signatories of petitioners against the Clarence electoral roll to ensure there is at least 1000 enrolled Clarence voters.
Simultaneously, Council will also work with Tasmanian Electoral Commission to begin the process, and work with the petitioner, Save Rosny’s Parks, to determine the wording of the question, or questions, to be included on the ballot paper.
Through the TEC, a ballot paper will be sent via post to all those on the Clarence electoral roll. The ballot may also be sent to those on the General Manager’s roll.
To comply with the Local Government Act, the conduct of an elector poll must be completed within 60 days of the receiving the petition. The petition was lodged with council on Friday.
The cost of running an elector poll in Clarence is estimated to be around $200,000.
Two motions relating to the High Performance Centre were also debated at the 17 June meeting.
Councillor Richard James moved a motion stating that ‘Council rescinds its vote of 11 December 2023 authorising the CEO to submit a proposal for two site options and to negotiate terms for a Heads of Agreement with State Growth’.
The motion was lost 8-1 with one councillor abstaining.
The second motion debated on the night was moved by Councillor James Walker which stated that ‘should an elector poll on the AFL High Performance Centre (HPC) be scheduled, the finalisation of any Heads of Agreement between Clarence City Council and the Department of State Growth on the HPC be held over until the poll results are reported to Council.
That motion was lost 6-3 with one councillor absent from the Chamber.
Watch meeting recording and agenda recording here.
See also AFL/AFLW High Performance Centre FAQS and Information