Two months have passed since the statue of William Crowther in Hobart’s Franklin Square was toppled by masked vandals under the cover of darkness.
The former Tasmanian Premier had stood in the centre of the city since 1889 but came crashing to the ground in the early hours of May 15 after being ‘cut off at the ankles’.
The City of Hobart had been working to remove the monument for more than a year prior to the incident.
At the time, the removal was subject to an appeal by Crowther’s supporters at the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, who argued that he should remain standing.
However, the tribunal ultimately ruled in favour of its removal.
Tasmania Police have now confirmed to Pulse that the “matter remains under investigation”.
“No charges have been laid at this stage,” police said.
The future of the statue, now in storage with its feet left on the plinth, will be discussed by Hobart City councillors next week.
Council documents state that the current damaged statue and temporary box arrangement “cannot remain as a permanent outcome”.
Options available to the council are to repair the statue and place it back on the plinth, removing the temporary box or begin the planning permit process to remove the rest of the statue, repair it and comply with all permit conditions.
Council staff have recommended removing the remaining statue on the plinth and repairing it professionally under the guidance of qualified experts to resolve the “long-running issue”.
The City of Hobart would then need to meet conditions set by the Heritage Council, including providing safe storage and maintaining the plinth.
The group of Crowther supporters who led the appeal plan to lobby for the statue to be displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) once it is repaired.
