The long-delayed Arm End golf course and associated recycled water pipeline has not moved closer to any actual construction even with the announcement of a federal government grant of $5 million. There are now three connected projects – golf course, pipeline and a water treatment plant – and one proponent under different names. The golf course proposed for Arm End reserve was approved in 2016 and the pipeline in 2019, both by the Clarence City Council. Neither has commenced.
On 9 September 2021 the Minister for the Parks and Wildlife Service, Jacquie Petrusma, issued a media release regarding the ‘reform’ of ‘the Reserve Activity Assessment (RAA) system’. This came just prior to the 16 September 2021 announcement by the Minister for Primary Industries, Guy Barnett, of the state government’s intention to create a new ten-year salmon plan (see article ‘A New Ten Year Salmon Plan’).
Thirty years have passed since the declaration of the first specific no-take marine reserves in Tasmania. It’s time to look back on how much progress we’ve made since then. In September 1991 four marine nature reserves were declared. Recreational and commercial fishing were prohibited within the boundaries of Ninepin Point, Tinderbox and Governor Island marine reserves and within about half of the Maria Island marine reserve, which is larger than the other three.
The State Government’s changes to planning legislation have sown the seeds for overdevelopment in Tasmania’s iconic cities, coastal hideaways, heritage towns and wilderness areas, whilst creating opaque processes that empower the Planning Minister and strip the community’s rights. They have plans for more draconian changes.
First, let me apologise for the long period since the last newsletter. We have had a few changes here at the TCT, most significant being the departure last December of long serving TCT officer manager Trish McKeown. Those who knew Trish would know she didn’t want a great fuss being made about her, but I do feel it necessary to say thank you to her publically on behalf of all TCT members, councillors and staff, past and present.
In the August 2015 Tasmanian Conservationist issue no.335 I wrote about a very worrying proposal for a large tourism development in the Rosny Hill Nature Recreation Area, on Hobart’s eastern shore. This very important, if small, reserve of 20 hectares includes numerous threatened flora and significant grasslands and forest communities. The proposed development would have a footprint of about 30% of the reserves area, including 120 accommodation suites, a function centre catering for 300 people and a 150-seat restaurant.
The state budget allocation of $8 million over the next two years to the Parks and Wildlife Service for infrastructure in parks and reserves may be a mixed blessing. The media release by Minister Matthew Groom made it very clear that the ‘new’ funding for parks and reserves is for built infrastructure management and we have received confirmation from the minister’s office that funding is for ‘replacement’ and ‘refurbishment’ and not for ‘new’ infrastructure.
The state government has been keen for Tasmania to be ‘open to development’ and part of this push is to ‘unlock national parks and other reserves’. It seems that the government has a very keen collaborator in the Clarence City Council (CCC). Perhaps the most ambitious proposal for a development on reserved land (that has progressed beyond the concept stage) since the Tasmanian Liberal government was elected is the one by Hunter Developments’ proposal for a tourism development in the Rosny Hill Nature Recreation Area (Rosny Hill NRA).
The Forestry (Rebuilding the Forest Industry) Act 2014 (FRFI Act), passed the Tasmanian Parliament on 2 September 2014 and commenced on 22 October. It includes provisions which amend the statutory management objectives and purposes for all conservation areas and regional reserves (clauses 27 and 31) to specifically permit harvesting of special species timbers.
Practitioners from a range of disciplines and countries spoke about emerging threats and new technologies being developed and applied in the field of vertebrate pest management. Pest species and their associated management challenges discussed at the conference ranged from old foes including wild dogs, feral horses, feral cats, camels, goats, foxes, Indian mynas, starlings, pigs, deer, rabbits, carp, rats, wallabies and possums to new arrivals such as smooth newts in Victoria and black-spined toads.
In June 2014 the state government advertised in Tasmanian newspapers for expressions of interest (EOI) for tourism developments in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, national parks and other reserves. The very brief publicly available questions-and-answers document, ‘Tourism Investment Opportunities in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, National Parks and Reserves’ (Q&A document), makes for disturbing reading.
