Elector poll: community’s final say on UTAS

Opposition to the University of Tasmania relocation has been loud and clear but there’s a push for Hobart to have one more chance to weigh in. ELECTOR POLL. >>

The group hoping to put a stop to the University of Tasmania campus move from Sandy Bay to the Hobart CBD are pushing for Hobart residents to have their say on the relocation

The Save UTAS Campus group have launched a petition for an elector poll, which would allow electors to vote on whether they support the move, when they vote in the local government elections.

“We need 1000 signatures again from Hobart City Council electors, the same people who can elect council members,” Save UTAS Campus chair Prof. Pam Sharpe said.

“They will put out a simple poll asking whether or not people support the relocation of the university.

“They’ll do this with the postal vote for Hobart City Councillors so they don’t bear the cost of having a poll separately.”

Save UTAS Campus chair Prof Pam Sharpe signs a petition at Hobart Town Hall. Picture: Chris Kidd

Prof. Sharpe said it was important the community had a say.

“This will allow us to see what the people of Hobart think,” she said.
“We after a form of genuine consultation which we believe was never carried out by UTAS.

The group was behind a petition which resulted in a public meeting being held earlier this month to allow community members to voice concerns around the relocation.

“We’ve had the meeting but that doesn’t give us any numbers and was likely to be dominated by our supporters by the nature of it,” Prof. Sharpe said.

“Even before we’ve got the results of the poll, we’d like UTAS to stop work on their project.”

The City of Hobart last carried out an elector poll in 2019 on whether the council should support new building height limits.

University of Tasmania Chief Operating Officer David Clerk said the university’s focus was one the education and research it delivered.

“We will continue to consult and engage with the community as we work to ensure the university best serves Tasmanians now and for future generations,” Mr Clerk said.

“We have heard, and we agree, that we need to do more.”

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Originally published as Elector poll: community’s final say on UTAS