Hobart City Deal funds will be found, despite nothing in Federal Budget

FUNDING for the Hobart City Deal has been guaranteed despite the Federal Budget failing to allocate any money for the agreement due to be completed this year.

Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher.

FUNDING for the Hobart City Deal has been guaranteed despite the Federal Budget failing to allocate any money for the agreement due to be completed this year.

An agreement is due to be finalised by the end of 2018, the Federal Government has said, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Premier Will Hodgman in January.

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The Budget included a major injection into Launceston’s City Deal, including $47.5 million to clean up the Tamar River.

The Infrastructure Department said its Smart Cities Plan would continue with negotiations over a Hobart deal but offered no funding.

Projects mentioned as part of the agreement have included a $400 million STEM centre for UTAS, the $100 million northern suburbs light rail and a $40 million Antarctic Precinct at Macquarie Point.

A spokeswoman for Federal Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said productive talks were continuing between all tiers of government and other stakeholders.

“We are continuing to consider the possible elements of a City Deal for Hobart,” she said.

“The Commonwealth Government will announce its funding commitments for the City Deal when the terms of the City Deal are finalised and agreed between the three levels of government.”

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The state’s $180 million Antarctic sector remains confident the deal will come through, and is hopeful it will include the Macquarie Point precinct.

Several Antarctic organisations housed in ageing facilities told the Mercury last year they were willing to consider a move.

The Budget included $35.7 million over four years for Antarctic scientific programs.

“We believe the City Deal’s all on track,” the Tasmanian Polar Network’s Richard Fader said.

“The science and Antarctic precinct is competing with a number of other interests for the City Deal.
“It’s not a fait accompli that it will be part of the City Deal, obviously we hope it will.”

The State Liberals pledged to progress the light rail project under the City Deal, but advocates say the Hodgman Government needs to push it harder with their colleagues in Canberra.

“The Prime Minister is obviously very keen on light rail, he talked about it a lot during his visit earlier in the year,” the Rail Action Group’s Ben Johnston said.

“It really just needs the state to give it that worthy priority that will make it eligible for federal funding.”