New MP Simon Behrakis lashes ‘anti-everything’ mentality he claims is holding the state back

Tasmania’s newest MP has taken a swipe at “anti-everything activists” he says are holding the state back. His vision for the Apple Isle.

Liberal member for Clark Simon Behrakis. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania’s newest MP has taken a swipe at “anti-everything activists” he says are holding the state back.

Member for Clark, Simon Behrakis, delivered his inaugural speech in the House of Assembly on Tuesday.

In a sometimes emotional address, the former Hobart City Council alderman said he had first-hand experience of the dead hand of an anti-development mentality.

“We must resist the privileged minority who would have Tasmania frozen in stasis, who want to turn Hobart into Slowbart – who oppose the construction of critical housing, who chain themselves to the machinery of productive and sustainable industry in our state to the detriment of Tasmanian jobs, who always say ‘no’” he said.

“I saw this attitude first-hand on numerous occasions during my time as an alderman in the Hobart City Council.

Liberal member for Clark Simon Behrakis. Final sitting week of parliament for 2023. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“On the one hand, we had a council declaring a housing crisis, on the other, we had a council blocking housing projects for spurious reasons, including rejecting houses being built on non-heritage listed properties with heritage issues cited as the reason for rejection.

“If we want to create a Tasmania where our people thrive, we must not make the mistake of attempting to appease the unappeasable – of listening to the professional activists who want to wreck our job-creating industries, and attack those who employ, grow our economy and build the infrastructure and housing Tasmanians desperately need.

“We do not need to speculate to know what the outcome would be if we allowed the ‘not in my backyard’ anti-everything activists to dictate the decisions we make for our state, we’d be back to the dying days of the Labor-Green government in a flash, where we were the basket case of the nation, with the highest unemployment by a country mile and a brain-drain caused by so many bright young Tasmanians fleeing our state to chase the opportunities elsewhere.”

Mr Behrakis paid tribute to his family for instilling in him a respect for the value of hard work and individual liberty.

He said his time in council had helped him to understand the value of small acts of service, most of which did not often garner headlines, and said he had respect for those who chose to stand for public office.

“I truly believe that regardless of political stripe or differences of opinion, everyone who puts their hand up to serve as representatives of this place, do so out of a genuine passion for Tasmania and for our community.

“We may sometimes disagree on what the best course of action but I know we do so in good faith and from a place of genuine care – and that Mr Speaker, is something that we can work with.”