RenewTAS scheme aims kickstart developments but Liberals say Homes Tasmania already has that role

Labor has a plan to get developments going after “11 years of talking” from the Liberals, but does it already exist? The latest:

Labor Leader Dean Winter on the tools announcing RenewTas – designed to get developments off the ground in Tasmania. Picture: Labor Party Tasmania

Development in Tasmania needs a “fresh start”, according to Labor, who are looking to other states’ models to unlock land and get projects off the ground.

Labor leader Dean Winter said RenewTas would turn “wastelands into worksites” and was based on successful interstate examples already delivering results. But the Liberals say it already exists.

RenewTas is a proposed new government business by the Labor opposition with a sole remit to progress developments, but the Liberals claim it already exists under Homes Tasmania.

Liberal member for Clark Simon Behrakis called RenewTas another “blunder” of Mr Winter’s and said it would mean duplication, more bureaucrats and “at least an additional $25 million in operating expenses”.

“Homes Tasmania already performs the majority of functions proposed,” Mr Behrakis said.

In 2024 Homes Tasmania was the subject of a parliamentary inquiry after claims the model was failing and the inquiry heard just six social houses had been “fast-tracked” and hundreds of vacant lots of land were being counted as built homes.

Labor leader Dean Winter announces Labor'•s new policy to get development moving in Tasmania. Picture: Labor Party Tasmania

Mr Winter said RenewTAS would solely be focused on de-risk development.

“It will have planning powers, it will be able to do subdivisions, it will be able to develop master plans, it will be able to develop building envelopes,” Mr Winter said.

“We’ve developed this policy alongside planners, builders, and property councils to make sure they can actually deliver for Tasmanians.”

He said Tasmania needed a “fresh start” after 11 years of “stalled developments” under the Liberal government.

“[Tasmanians] need a new Labor government that can deliver things, that isn’t going to spend 11 years talking about things and not delivering.”

Labor proposes RenewTas would; identify and activate suitable public land for housing and urban renewal, acquire dormant strategic sites where private sector investment has stalled, develop area masterplans for these sites with local community and council input, have planning powers to allow it to undertake any necessary rezonings, and establish pre-approved housing and development area plans.

The Planning Institute of Tasmania welcomed Labor’s “forward-thinking, long-term view that provides a vision for the future”.

It said urban renewal doesn’t happen through “policy intent statements alone” and this policy would shift focus and recognises planning as a key enabler of housing and not “red-tape”.

Originally published as RenewTAS scheme aims kickstart developments but Liberals say Homes Tasmania already has that role