Prime Minister Scott Morrison to visit Tasmania without Hobart City Deal plan

The Prime Minister will travel to Tasmania this weekend – but has no plans to announce Hobart’s long-awaited City Deal.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will visit Tasmania this weekend, but only the north of the state. Picture: GARY RAMAGE

THE Prime Minister will travel to Tasmania this weekend but has no plans to announce Hobart’s long-awaited City Deal.

Mr Morrison will visit the North this trip but plans to return to the state to announce the multimillion-dollar southern deal — expected to be finalised last year — in the coming weeks.

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Franklin Labor MHR Julie Collins this week accused the Federal Government of taking its eye off the ball.

“The truth is the Liberals’ City Deals program is in disarray,” Ms Collins said.

“Even after the extraordinary intervention of Hobart’s four local government mayors, calling for action, the Federal Government is still yet to announce the details of our City Deal.

“Southern Tasmania continues to miss out under the Liberals and it’s not good enough.”

A Tasmanian Government spokesman said: “The State Government expects that the Hobart City Deal will be finalised shortly.”

The detail of Hobart’s City Deal is yet to be released but the region’s four mayors — covering Hobart, Clarence, Kingborough and Glenorchy councils — signed off on a draft plan last year.

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Earlier this month, the mayors co-signed a letter to Mr Morrison and Premier Will Hodgman voicing their concerns about “the protracted program for finalising and signing” the deal.

“Given that there is a federal election looming, it would be in the interests of all parties if a date for an official signing of the City Deal could be set as soon as possible,” they said.

Mr Morrison announced support for a City Deal for South-East Queensland earlier this week.

The contents of Hobart’s agreement have not yet been made public, but key elements floated so far include $461 million for the Bridgewater Bridge, the $400 million University of Tasmania STEM centre, a light rail system and modern public transport as well as the redevelopment of Macquarie Point, including an Antarctic precinct.