The housing crisis seems to be the result of a massive failure in the housing market, a failure the state and federal governments are unwilling to address. 

The TCT is very concerned about certain aspects of the Liberal Party’s firearms policy. In particular, we are concerned about the proposal to make Category C licences (rapid fire firearms) available to a wider group of people than is currently the case, which we are told is for the purpose of controlling native animals to protect crops and pasture. 

If we look at some recent scientific literature regarding the state of the natural world, such as the WWF Living Planet Report or any of the Australian Government’s State of the Environment Reports, it is very clear our natural world is in decline, globally and at home. The purpose of this article is to discuss the impacts of population growth on both our natural environment and quality of life, and what should be considered by policy makers when determining a population policy. 

When Australia nominated the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania’s Southwest Wilderness as World Heritage areas, it was to protect them from damage by specific industrial activities, like oil drilling and damming. Our national environmental legislation includes World Heritage areas and Commonwealth marine parks as ‘triggers’ for the involvement of the Federal government. However, is Federal law equipped to protect these same World Heritage areas from the impacts of climate change? 

The Liberal Party’s 2018 state election policy ‘Safeguarding Tasmania’s Unique Natural Environment’, commits to a program to assist in cleaning up major rubbish dumps and stronger penalties for those responsible. This may not sound like a ground breaking environment policy but it was the only positive environment policy the Liberals proposed other than more staffing for the Parks and Wildlife Service.

All Tasmanian’s must have a house to live in that is safe, appropriate to their needs and affordable, but housing should also be provided in ways that minimise or avoid environment impacts. The good news is that affordability and sustainability can go hand in hand.

On 28 February 2018 I was pleased to speak at the launch of Kingborough Council's 'Inside with cats' video series. There are five short videos each telling a personal story of why a cat owner has decided to contain their cat and what the benefits are for them and their cat. There is a crucial need for high quality education such as these videos plus complimentary legislation to encourage high levels of responsible cat ownership. My talk regarding the proposed amendments to the Cat Management Act is included in full below and you can view the five videos via the link. https://www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/2018/03/inside-with-cats/

The TCT said today that Peter Gutwein's Draft Major Projects Legislation, if enacted, will deliver the Fragrance Skyscrapers in Hobart and Launceston, against the interests of local communities.

'It seems that the purpose of the legislation is to fast track the approval of any development that is vehemently opposed by the community including the two massive Fragrance skyscrapers proposed for Hobart and the recently announced 70 metre high Fragrance hotel proposed for next to Launceston's City Park,' said TCT Director Peter McGlone.

The last Tasmanian Conservationist included a feature article outlining the numerous concerns we had regarding the state government’s ‘business-first approach’ to land-use planning and summarised the proposals we had made to the opposition parties to address these concerns.

The Minister for Planning, Peter Gutwein, announced on 22 November 2017 that the Draft Land Use Planning and Approvals Amendment (Major Projects) Bill 2017 (Major Projects Legislation) would not be tabled in parliament prior to the state election. The Minister promised that the bill would be redrafted to rule out very high buildings being able to be declared major projects.

On 23 November 2017 the Legislative Council voted 10 to 4 against the legislation to facilitate the state government’s take-over of TasWater from its current council owners.  The state government now intends to take the proposal for state government take-over of TasWater to the next election to seek a mandate.