Claim that majority of submissions oppose Major Projects bill

There is overwhelming community opposition to the Liberals’ major projects legislation and public consultation has changed nothing, a coalition of groups opposing the bill say.

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THERE is overwhelming community opposition to the Liberals’ major projects legislation and public consultation has changed nothing, a coalition of groups opposing the bill say.

State parliament is expected to debate the bill on when it resumes today, although it is expected to pass through the House of Assembly with the support of both major parties.

The new law will apply to projects which are high value or complex or identified as being of major significance — raising fears it will be used to rubber stamp controversial projects like the Mt Wellington cable car and the Westbury Prison development.

Planning Matters Tasmania, a coalition of planning and environment groups said just 12 of more than 1500 submissions made public to date supported the bill.

“As key concerns have not been addressed, the analysis confirms fears that the government’s consultation has been little more than a box-ticking exercise,’ the group said in a statement.

“Tasmanians will be looking to Labor to honour its commitment to read every submission and ensure that feedback from the community … be fed into the final design of the bill.”

Vica Bayley from Residents opposed to the cable car and Sophie Underwood from Planning Matters Alliance. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Government MP Sarah Courtney said the bill was aimed at creating a more predictable planning outcomes.

“What the Major Projects bill is about is creating certainty with the process,” she said.

“This is not around cutting corners or getting out of doing specific processes, this is a way to create certainty and it’s really important at a time like now when we do need projects are delivered in this state.

“We want investors having certainty about the process that they need to go through for major projects, and I think it’s going to be a positive initiative, going forward.”

Greens Planning spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff questioned whether the government was listening to feedback on the bill.

“The final bill is substantially no different to the draft bill that went out for consultation,” she said.”

Parliament, Rosalie Woodruff MP. Picture Chris Kidd

Dr Woodruff said she was concerned that there were around 200 submissions missing from the consultation website — and those which were made public were done so only slowly.

“The government has provided this information, the submissions from the community at the last stroke of midnight.

“As a parliamentarian who has to sit and read this 206-page bill, I have not had the opportunity to have close inspection of all of the submissions.”

Labor’s planning spokeswoman Anita Dow said her party has considered all of the submissions which had been made public.

“Labor’s position on the bill has not changed: we support the principle of the proposed reforms,” she said.

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