This page contains questions asked by candidates during the election period and answers provided to assist candidates in their election campaign.
| Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 24 August 2026 | I am intending to nominate myself as both mayor/ or deputy mayor and councillor. Is it mandatory for me to state both mayor or deputy mayor and councillor on all signage? does it matter which order they’re listed in? Is it acceptable to have two different sign designs on display? Also, is it acceptable for my campaign material authorising agent (person) to have an address outside of the Huon Valley? | The Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government (General) Regulations 2025 provides the detail associated with advertising and signage. These provisions are set out in their entirety below for your information. The Act requirements and contents of advertising signs are not regulated by the Council and it is not proper for the Council to provide advice or an opinion on how these apply. If you require clarity regarding these matters we recommend that you enquire directly with the Tasmanian Electoral Office. With respect to Council requirements for advertising and signage, these are set out on the Council’s website: www.huonvalley.tas.gov.au/council/council-elections/ =================================================== Local Government Act 1993 Division 5 – Advertising in respect of elections 278. Electoral advertising (1) A person must not, during the relevant period, use, otherwise than in accordance with the regulations, electoral advertising with a view to promoting or procuring the election of any candidate at an election. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 100 penalty units. (2) If a court convicts under this section a candidate who is successful at an election, the court must declare that candidate’s election void, unless the court is satisfied that there are special circumstances that make it undesirable or inappropriate for it to make such a declaration. (3) A person, within the relevant period, must not print, publish or distribute any electoral advertising that contains the name, photograph or a likeness of a candidate or intending candidate at an election without the written consent of the candidate or intending candidate. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 50 penalty units. (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to – (a) any matter printed, published or distributed by or on behalf of the Electoral Commissioner in the exercise or performance of his or her powers and functions; or (b) any electoral advertising by means of any broadcast by radio or television or by a repeat on the internet of any such broadcast. (5) A person, within the relevant period, must not print, publish, keep on display, broadcast or distribute any electoral advertising that refers to the offering, promising or giving by a candidate or intending candidate of a gift, donation or prize to or for any specific club, association or body or to or for clubs, associations or bodies generally. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 50 penalty units. (6) A person must not use or display the arms of a council, or a logo of a council, in any electoral advertising. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 20 penalty units. (7) Subsection (6) does not apply to – (a) any matter printed, published or distributed by or on behalf of the Electoral Commissioner in the exercise or performance of his or her powers or functions; or (b) any electoral advertising by means of any broadcast by television. 279. Return in relation to electoral advertising (1) Within 45 days after the day on which the returning officer gives a certificate of election, every candidate must sign and declare before a justice or a commissioner for declarations and lodge with the Electoral Commissioner a return in an approved form stating the candidate’s relevant electoral advertising. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 30 penalty units. (2) A return under subsection (1) is to be accompanied by any invoice, account or receipt in respect of electoral advertising. (3) Any person who prints, publishes or broadcasts electoral advertising is to lodge a return in an approved form with the Electoral Commissioner within 45 days after the day on which the returning officer gives a certificate of election. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 30 penalty units. 280. Further information If the Electoral Commissioner is not satisfied that the return is authentic and accurate and that all particulars that ought to have been included in the return have been included, the Electoral Commissioner may require any person to give further information. 281. Returns open for inspection (1) The Electoral Commissioner is to give a copy of any return to the general manager. (2) The Electoral Commissioner and the general manager are to– (a) keep returns or copies of returns for a period of 12 months; and (b) during that period, make those returns or copies available for inspection, free of charge, by a member of the public. (3) At the end of 12 months, the Electoral Commissioner and the general manager are to destroy the returns or copies unless proceedings have been instituted concerning the relevant election. 282. Electoral Commissioner may require information (1) If the Electoral Commissioner has reason to believe that a person is in possession of information or records relating to electoral advertising, the Electoral Commissioner may, by written notice, require– (a) the person to provide that information; or (b) the person to produce for inspection any of those records, at a specified time and place; or (c) the person to answer any question relating to that advertising; or (d) any person who was a party to the compilation of those records to make a statement providing an explanation of them. (2) The Electoral Commissioner may make and retain copies of any records produced or of any parts of those records. (3) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with a requirement made under subsection (1) . Penalty: Fine not exceeding 10 penalty units. (4) Any information provided, answer given or statement made by a person in response to a requirement made under subsection (1) may not be used in any proceedings against that person except proceedings under subsection (6) in relation to that information, answer or statement. (5) A person is not obliged to provide any information, produce records, answer a question or make a statement under this section unless that person has first been informed by the Electoral Commissioner that he or she is required to do so. (6) A person must not provide information, produce records, give an answer or make a statement which is, to that person’s knowledge, false or misleading. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 10 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months. (7) In any proceedings for an offence under this section, a copy of a record or part of a record made under subsection (2) is admissible in evidence in those proceedings and, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the contents of the copy are presumed to be the same as those on the original record or part. (8) In this section records includes books, accounts, minutes, registers, deeds, writings or documents and any other sources of information compiled, recorded or stored in written form, on micro-film or by electronic process, or in any other manner or by any other means. Division 10 – Offences relating to elections 311. Electoral articles to be signed (1) A person must not, during the prescribed period, print, publish, keep on display or distribute an article relating to an election that does not contain the true name and address of the responsible person at the end of the article. Penalty: Fine not exceeding 5 penalty units. (1A) An article is published or kept on display by a person if the publication or display is published or kept on display with that person’s consent. (2) This section does not apply to the printing or publication of – (a) a leading article; or (b) an article that consists solely of a report of a meeting and does not contain any comment (other than comment made by a speaker at the meeting) on a candidate at an election or on the issues being submitted to the electors at the election. (3) . . . . . . . . (4) In this section – address means an address, other than a post office box or an electronic address – (a) at which the responsible person resides; or (b) at or through which the responsible person may be readily contacted; article includes any advertisement, direct mail item, sign, circular, pamphlet, handbill, poster, sticker, dodger and report; prescribed period means the period commencing on the day on which the notice of election is advertised and ending on the closing day; responsible person means the person taking responsibility for causing the matter to be printed or published. Local Government (General) Regulations 2025 Division 4 – Electoral advertising 21. Posters and signs A person must not publicly display a poster, or sign, relating to the election of a candidate without the written authority of that candidate. 22. Advertising (1) A person must not purchase electoral advertising time or space in relation to the election of a candidate without the written authority of that candidate. (2) A candidate is taken to have incurred the total time and space of, and expenditure involved in, electoral advertising which promotes that candidate in respect of an election irrespective of whether or not that advertising also promotes another candidate. (3) A candidate who authorises a person to conduct electoral advertising on his or her behalf relating to an election is taken to have personally undertaken that advertising. 23. Total expenditure for advertising (1) For the purposes of section 278 of the Act, the total expenditure on electoral advertising by, or on behalf of, a candidate during the relevant period must not exceed the sum of – (a) if the relevant period commences during the financial year commencing on 1 July 2018, the relevant amount for the candidate; or (b) if the relevant period commences during a subsequent financial year, the amount calculated for that candidate in that financial year under subregulation (2) . (2) For the purposes of subregulation (1)(b) , the total expenditure for a subsequent financial year is calculated in accordance with the following formula and rounded off in accordance with subregulation (3): Where – A is the total expenditure for the relevant financial year being calculated; B is the relevant amount for the candidate in respect of whom the total expenditure is being calculated; C is the CPI figure for Hobart for the March quarter immediately preceding the relevant financial year in which the total expenditure is to apply; D is the CPI figure for Hobart for the March quarter 2018. (3) If the value of the total expenditure calculated in accordance with subregulation (2) is not a multiple of $500, the amount is to be rounded off to the nearest multiple of $500. (4) In this regulation – CPI figure for Hobart means the Consumer Price Index: All Groups Index Number for Hobart published by the Australian Statistician under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 of the Commonwealth; relevant amount, for a candidate, means – (a) if the nomination of the candidate relates to an election in the municipal area of Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart, Kingborough or Launceston, $16 000; or (b) if the nomination of the candidate relates to an election in any other municipal area, $10 000. |
| 26 August 2026 | Assuming a low cost of preparation – maybe flattening and gravel, approximately what is the installation cost of a bench and the cost for a picnic table? What is the expected life of these assets? Approximately how much do they cost to maintain on an annual basis? | The timber-imagined aluminium picnic table/chair is around $5k per set, including installation. They are a relatively new product, but we have been using them to replace all the traditional timber sets when they are due for renewal. We expect they will last at least 10-15 years with minimal maintenance. The benefit of aluminium tables and chairs is that no maintenance (i.e., oil/painting) is required unless they are damaged, most likely by misuse or vandalism. |
| 26 August 2026 | Has the Council undertaken a study of visitor wayfinding in the Huon? Do we have a set budget line to replace and renew this signage? How much has been spend on replacing and renewing wayfinding signage over the past 4 years? | Council has not undertaken a study of visitor wayfinding in the Huon. Council’s previous involvement in visitor wayfinding was the Huon Trail program in conjunction with the Kingborough Council. The Trail and associated signage transferred to Destination Southern Tasmania in 2016. Council may have provided information signage from time to time, however, this was not supported by any Council budget for maintenance or replacement. Council does not have a set budget line to replace and renew wayfinding signage. To the extent that Council has replaced or renewed wayfinding signage (which is unknown as there is no specific program or resource dedicated for this purpose), any expense has not been separately recorded. |
| 7 September 2026 | I will submit my nomination today. Where do I post my photo and brief statement that accompanies the ballots? | Information regarding submission of candidate statements and photographs is on the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website: www.tec.tas.gov.au/local-government/elections-2026/statements.html The website provides the requirements for statements and photos in addition to the link for lodging these directly with the Electoral Commission. In addition to your question, we take this opportunity to introduce you to the Candidate and Councillor Knowledge series which provides information generally on local government and the roles and functions of Councillors and how the Huon Valley Council works within that framework. |