It’s been a year since Hobart’s City Deal was signed

Monday marks exactly one year since Prime Minister Scott Morrison flew into the state’s capital to sign the 10-year City Deal, and progress is slow.

THE slow progress on key Hobart City Deal projects has been slammed by critics, who say Tasmanians deserve to see results instead of promises.

Monday marks exactly one year since Prime Minister Scott Morrison flew into the state’s capital to sign the 10-year deal.

The $1.6 billion deal is an agreement between state and federal governments, and the Hobart, Clarence, Kingborough and Glenorchy councils.

City deals were an initiative of the former Turnbull Coalition Government to create better partnerships between all levels of government.

Hobart is one of seven Australian places who currently have an agreed city deal, alongside Launceston, Townsville, Western Sydney, Darwin, Geelong and Adelaide.

As part of the Hobart deal, international flights from Hobart Aiport were hoped to be running by the end of 2020, but this timeline has been ruled out due to the airport’s expansion plans being pushed back.

Key actions on a project to activate the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor have been delayed, while the establishment of a River Derwent passenger ferry service is waiting for a business case to be done before progressing.

Then-Premier Will Hodgman and Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the signing of the Hobart City Deal at Hobart Airport Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Meanwhile, state and federal governments have repeatedly backed the Bridgewater Bridge replacement project, the centrepiece of the deal at an estimated cost of $576 million.

This is despite the Federal Government’s infrastructure body, Infrastructure Australia, raising concerns about the project’s design and potential for cost blowouts.

These revelations saw the mayors of Hobart, Glenorchy and Kingborough — signatories to the deal — unite to publicly question whether it represented value for money.

Federal Labor Senator Carol Brown criticised the deal for being short on detail and timelines.

“All we’ve seen is cost blowouts and delays and yet more money thrown at consultants,’’ she said.

“The City Deal itself is now a delay tactic. Tasmanians deserve better than more vague promises. They want to see results.”

Upgrades involved in the Hobart City Deal. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

But state and federal Liberal governments have leapt to the defence of the deal, saying it was a catalyst for bringing all levels of government together in a unified way.

State Growth Minister Michael Ferguson said an implementation plan developed by all six governments — released in October last year — was a “significant achievement” of the first year of the deal.

“The significance of reaching agreement between all six governments on the funding arrangements and the scope, detail and timeline of each of the projects included cannot be underestimated,’’ he said.

Upgrades involved in the Hobart City Deal. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Mr Ferguson said timelines for the development of an Antarctic and Science Precinct at Macquarie Point were on track, while work to reduce congestion through the Greater Hobart Transport Vision was ongoing.

Affordable housing targets under the deal were being met, Mr Ferguson said, while adding the Government was investigating options on the Bridgewater Bridge project to ensure it could be delivered within funding allocations.

“The benefits of the City Deal are expected to extend well beyond the scope of the agreement and will add significant value beyond the investment over time,’’ he said.

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But Labor infrastructure spokesman Shane Broad said the deal was “long on promises, but short on detail”.

“The City Deal was a missed opportunity to bust traffic congestion and improve the lives of all Tasmanians,’’ he said.

“It’s no surprise that projects under the deal are late, given the Liberals underspend on their infrastructure program every year in an effort to prop up their budget.”

Tasmanian Liberal Senator and Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism Jonathon Duniam said Federal Government funding was flowing through the deal, as the State Government and councils progress projects.

“Tasmanians will see more and more of their capital city’s transformation as this 10-year deal gains further momentum and the investment grows,’’ he said.

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