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’).
On 16 September 2021 the Minister for Primary Industries, Guy Barnett, announced the state government’s intention to create a new ten-year salmon plan. When reading anything about the 10-Year Salmon Plan, it is important to ask ‘what if anything has the current plan achieved?’ Is it possible that the 2017 plan was designed to just reflect what the industry intended to do and so achieved nothing?
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.
Although the original plans to build the controversial Gorge Hotel were rejected by the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal in late 2019, the developer, Josef Chromy’s JAC Group, submitted an amendment in mid-2021 to Launceston City Council’s Interim Planning Scheme that saw the project back on the drawing board. The Draft Amendment 66 was to allow a Specific Area Plan (SAP) for the Paterson Street site. Approval would enable construction of the nine-storey, 145-room proposal to proceed.
In the lead-up to the 2014 state election the Liberal party had a policy to: ‘Immediately after the election ... commence drafting state policies to provide the necessary guidance to councils on how to implement the single statewide planning scheme and plan for Tasmania’s future land use needs.’ The election policy made it clear the policies were to focus on economic development but it offered some hope that development of the proposed statewide planning scheme would be based on new or revised polices.
It appears that the government has done everything it can to hide the proposed changes to the planning appeals tribunal. The only document released in the consultation process was a 121 page Draft Bill. No explanatory document to make it clear what the legislation was aiming to achieve. Most people who were aware of the Draft Bill would not have read it and few who did would have understood it. The government did not previously flag these changes with the community. Cynically the government released this draft bill on the 21 December 2021 when most people were on leave or distracted by Christmas.
This level of deceit, with a piece of legislation, with such a high level of public interest, is just about unprecedented in modern Tasmanian political history.
The Major Projects Bill (MPB) gives developers a special process and cuts the community out by removing appeal rights and limiting our input to development assessments. The MPB removes fairness and balance from the planning system and seriously weakens our democracy. The MPB sets up a special pathway similar to those gifted to mining, forestry and industrial fish farms.
The East Coast Alliance (ECA) was formed by a small group of community volunteers concerned about the potential impacts of the Cambria Green Specific Area Plan and Masterplan. The ECA is not opposed to, and supports, appropriate, reasonable, and sustainable development. The ECA is now more than ever focused on presenting a strong case against the Cambria Green Draft Amendment and proposed development.
