Independent candidate for Hobart lord mayor Harvey Lennon has pledged to end ratepayer-funded refreshments for councillors if elected and has urged rival candidates to match the commitment.
With nominations closing on September 21, Lennon said the issue had been raised regularly during his campaign.
The pledge follows months of scrutiny over food and drink taken from the council’s elected members’ lounge by Deputy Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock, a matter she has apologised for.
“Having ratepayer-funded snacks and beverages is completely out of step with workers and volunteers across our city, so I will move to end it if elected,” Lennon said.
“It sends the wrong message to ratepayers, it sends the wrong message to council employees and it sends the wrong message to our key stakeholders.”
Lennon said there was no way ratepayers should be picking up the tab for councillors’ snacks, beer and wine.
“If I’m elected mayor it will be BYO Snacks from now on,” he said.
“The ‘snacks’ issue has seriously eroded trust in Hobart City Council and this will be an important first step in rebuilding that trust.”
He said the refreshments came at a cost to the community and a bigger cost to the council’s credibility.
“If I’m elected mayor, I will ask my fellow councillors to demonstrate practical leadership, set the standard and support this change,” he said.
“And I believe the other candidates for mayor should make this commitment as well.”
Hobart Chamber of Commerce general manager Robert Mallett said the practice should cease.
“This move is way overdue and I congratulate Harvey on his plan to end the free snacks arrangement, because it really does send the wrong message to workers and is not a good use of ratepayers’ money,” Mallett said.
Mallett said the arrangement was out of step with small businesses and their workers across Hobart, including those paying substantial commercial rates.
Lennon said the people of Hobart deserved a council focused on the city’s needs rather than on itself.
CCTV footage showed Sherlock leaving the lounge with bags of food and drink in January 2024.
She has said she believed the refreshments were part of her role and has described the scrutiny of her as a “political assassination”.
She has previously said she felt “bullied”, “harassed” and “targeted” by the ongoing scrutiny.
Independent legal advice in January found no misconduct, Tasmania Police concluded in March there was insufficient evidence for an offence and the Integrity Commission cleared her in June.
Tasmania’s acting director of local government ruled out further investigation last week, describing the saga as “an unfortunate and unhelpful distraction”.
Fellow independent candidate Simon Behrakis called on the Greens to dump Sherlock on Thursday, saying it was “not too late” for the party to act before nominations close.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the party was standing by Sherlock, describing her as one of four excellent candidates.
Woodruff said Sherlock had “extensive involvement across many communities” and was “a passionate advocate for the city”.
Sherlock is seeking re-election at next month’s council elections.
