The Liberals campaigned in Clark with a policy to keep UTAS in Sandy Bay

The Liberals will waste no time introducing legislation to keep at least some of UTAS in Sandy Bay. Here’s how soon the decision could be.

Lord Mayor of Hobart Anna Reynolds. Picture: Linda Higginson

One of the Liberals’ early orders of business when state parliament returns will be legislation to keep at least some of the University of Tasmania in Sandy Bay.

During the state election campaign the Liberals announced plans for urgent legislation to restrict the university from selling land at the campus or offering it for long-term lease.

On Thursday Clark MP Madeleine Ogilvie said the legislation would be introduced within the Liberals’ first 100 days, meaning the Bill will need to be tabled by July.

Amendments to the University of Tasmania Act (1992) will require UTAS to obtain the explicit approval of both houses of Parliament for any sale, or disposition of ownership rights, to its Sandy Bay landholdings, which were gifted by the people of Tasmania to the university in 1951.

The government is keen to pursue upgraded STEM facilities in Sandy Bay, rather than the CBD.

“We are keen to achieve the right balance - delivering on our commitment and also working with the University of Tasmania to secure the Sandy Bay campus for the future with a STEM-led plan,” said Ms Ogilvie said.

“Noting upgraded STEM facilities have been on Infrastructure Australia’s radar since 2017, we will work together to update the business case to pursue a Commonwealth investment for $500 million into revamped STEM facilities at Sandy Bay.

“We understand that our important science and ICT sectors offer great potential for economic growth, together with global work opportunities, and that ICT leadership is essential to bridge the digital divide for all Tasmanians.”

Liberal Clark, candidates (L-R) Emma Atterbury, Jon Gourlay, Simon Behrakis MP, Madeleine Ogilvie MP, Mohammad Aldergham, Catherine Searle and Marcus Vermey outside the Sandy Bay UTAS Campus. Picture: Chris Kidd

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the Liberal policy was the same as the compromise position she took to the 2022 local government election, during the height of debate on UTas’ move into the city.

Ms Reynolds had proposed part of the Sandy Bay site being reimagined as a specialist campus for STEM.

“The knowledge economy is the key to the future prosperity of cities, and Hobart is no exception. I’ve been an advocate for Hobart growing its science and research sectors and so I support this approach to breathe new life into the Sandy Bay campus as a hub for internationally significant science innovation, enterprise, and new product development,” she said.

“There’s room for new and improved STEM focused educational and research facilities in Sandy Bay. This could be enhanced with offices for research and innovation companies to also be based at this STEM campus. We could host public/private collaborations to solve some of our biggest global challenges here in Hobart, such as protecting Antarctica and the Southern Ocean from climate change, cleaning up plastic waste, or new technologies to deal with resource constraints.”

Originally published as The Liberals campaigned in Clark with a policy to keep UTAS in Sandy Bay