At the Council meeting held 29 April, Council:
- A member of the public raised concerns about the proposed Food Standards Australia New Zealand accreditation scheme commencing in 2027 and its impact on small‑scale local growers of berries, leafy greens and herbs. Given rising food insecurity, higher costs and supply chain pressures, the resident asked Council to consider advocating for a postponement of the new requirements. Council acknowledged the concerns raised and advised that correspondence would be prepared and sent to the relevant Minister and State Government representatives requesting consideration of the matters outlined
- A member of the public asked Council to confirm any changes made to Council processes, policies, training, and project oversight following the governance issues relating to the Strahan Waterfront project. The General Manager advised that the most recent waterfront working group meeting discussed at length the governance arrangements for contract management of the project and the Request for Quotation governance processes for the change works.
- A member of the public asked Council to clarify the appropriate actions councillors should have taken regarding representing community interests, when approached by residents about the Strahan Waterfront project, prior to the petition being lodged. The General Manager outlined the relevant provisions of the Local Government Act and confirmed that referring the matter to the General Manager was the correct process taken by the Councillors. As previously advised, Council was bound by the project’s contractual arrangements. Some design elements have not been well received by the community, and this has been acknowledged through actions taken to date. The Waterfront Working Group is currently considering next steps to address community concerns
- A member of the public raised concerns about the unisex toilets and clearance space around the court area at the new Strahan Gym & Multi-Purpose Centre and asked Council to confirm the building is compliant with the National Building Code. The General Manager advised that the new Strahan Gym & Multi-Purpose Centre has received an approved occupancy certificate in accordance with Tasmanian building legislation and the national construction code prior to being opened for public use.
- Cr McKay acknowledged the recent ANZAC day services held across the WC, with thanks to the many volunteers who worked behind the scenes to organise the services. Cr McKay also acknowledged the passing of Strahan resident, Mrs. Mary Forage, aged 102 years. During the war years Mary served as a nursing sister and her husband served as an army doctor.
- Received a question without notice from Cr McKay regarding strong community uptake of the Recycle Rewards scheme and the limited number of vending machine locations on the West Coast. Cr McKay requested a report outlining opportunities to advocate for additional refund points, along with any barriers or restrictions at current sites, to help Councillors consider how best to improve community access to the program. Council acknowledged the strong community participation in the Recycle Rewards Program. While Council engaged with scheme operators and government during the rollout, site locations were set before Council’s involvement, with any expansion dependent on data from existing sites. Council noted current access and service issues and will continue to advocate for improved reliability and additional locations. No further report is proposed at this time, though further engagement may occur as more data becomes available.
- Council received questions without notice from Cr McKay and Cr Iwanicki regarding ongoing disruptions to mobile, internet and electricity services, and their impacts on residents, businesses, visitors and emergency preparedness. Cr McKay requested a report on recent service interruptions, Council’s communication with providers, opportunities for stronger advocacy, direct engagement with providers and government agencies, improved outage communication and contingency planning, and recommendations for ongoing advocacy. Cr Iwanicki sought clarification on Council’s actions to advocate for resilient telecommunications, including engagement with providers and government bodies, redundancy or backup measures, any assessment of economic and safety impacts, and Council’s position on long‑term investment needed to bring West Coast telecommunications up to a comparable standard with other Tasmanian communities. The Mayor and General Manager acknowledged the significant impact recent outages are having on residents, businesses and visitors. Councillors were advised that Council continues its ongoing advocacy on telecommunications and service reliability, including engagement with providers and government agencies, with issues raised as they occur. Given previous updates and the ongoing nature of this work, no further report is proposed at this time. The Mayor encouraged residents to lodge complaints with providers and to contact State and Federal representatives about ongoing service concerns.
- Discussed correspondence from the Minister for Local Government regarding Councillor numbers and allowances. The General Manager will write to the Minister highlighting concern around the recommendation to create a head of power for the Governor to adjust councillor numbers in the future.
- Sought clarification on the outcome of Hon Ruth Forest MLC’s letter regarding the condition of the Queenstown Recreation Ground. The General Manager advised that the matter has been discussed with the Queenstown Crows Football Club, and recent communication and inspections indicate the drainage issues have stabilised. A grant proposal for improved drainage was prepared several years ago but was unsuccessful.
- Noted updates from each department.
- Noted an increase in development applications, indicating continued investment in the region.
- Noted that the West Coast Visitor Information Centre has seen a slight decline in visitors to the region, attributed to rising fuel costs. Staff have received an increasing number of emails and phone calls cancelling bookings, indicating broader impacts on tourism activity.
- Received a report providing an update on the Digitisation Program
- Reviewed a report with review of the Auditor General Report for 2024-2025 financials. Council acknowledged the financial challenges but believe Council is starting to gain some ground and the internal controls being implemented will benefit the organisation. When complete, the 10-year Financial Plan will provide a framework to being financially sustainable.
- Held a minute’s silence in respect for Cr Heather Barwick of George Town (West Tamar Council), who recently passed away.
- Received the quarterly communications report with Councillors noting the recommended actions around the need to develop a clear marketing strategy for the West Coast Tas MTB trails.
- Adopted dog registration and food premises fees for the 2026-2027 financial year
- Noted a report on Council’s asset position and renewal outlook, with an estimated asset base of $165M–$170M. Transport infrastructure remains the largest asset class (~$92M), followed by buildings (~$39.7M) and bridges (~$15.95M). Forecast road renewal demand exceeds current budgets by $300K–$400K per year. Council does not currently have a standalone Stormwater Asset Management Plan, representing a key gap. Council endorsed further work to improve asset data confidence and develop asset management planning for stormwater and secondary assets.
- Renewed the lease with the West Coast Heritage Ltd, trading as West Coast Study Hub, for the former Zeehan Scout Hall for a further four (4) years.
- Accepted a report for Council to liaise with the Unconformity to position the Unconformity Rock on the concrete plinth at the Miner’s Siding in Queenstown
- Agreed to support the West Coast Heritage Centre in promoting the lighting up of the Gaiety Theatre Zeehan in blue and green on the 17 May 2026 in support of World Fibromatosis Awareness Day.
- Approved sponsorship from the Innovation Fund for the West Coast Death Literacy Workshop, pending a complete application being submitted prior to the event
- Endorsed the signing of the lease with Sustainable Timber Tasmania for the lease of land for the Rosebery Cemetery and the commencement of negotiations with the Crown to request that the land be transferred to Council
- Adopted the updated Financial & In-Kind Assistance Policy (WCC.017).
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To read the meeting agenda and watch the live stream, visit the Council Meetings Agendas & Recordings page.
The next Council meeting will be on Tuesday 26 May 2026.