Dear Friends,
We shouldn’t have to be writing to you about this. In November 2022 TASCAT affirmed the decision of the Hobart City Council to reject the proposal for a cable car across the Organ Pipes and a large tourist centre/restaurant near the Pinnacle. That should have been the end of it but…
– on the 28th of February this year Premier Rockliff had this to say at the ‘State of the State Address’:“I am committed not only to the Cradle Valley Cableway, but also a cableway on Kunanyi/Mt Wellington, and I have sought advice on developing a pathway to support this to happen.”
Now we can see what that pathway is. Planning Minister Ferguson made the attached statement on the 19th of October.
This statement has a link to a position paper which makes interesting reading, not least due to the disparity between the acknowledged facts and the proposed response. By way of example, the following is from page 8:
“Despite the statistical evidence, there remains a perception that some Councils are less supportive of new development than others and that on occasion the personal views of elected councillors in relation to a proposed development, such as large-scale apartments, or social housing, may influence their decision-making despite being outside of the relevant planning scheme considerations they are bound to administer as part of the obligations of a planning authority.”
Of course we know that this “perception” is almost entirely driven by elements of the pro development lobby.
For most of us if our views do not accord with the evidence, it is time to modify our views. Not this government! They want to push through a change to planning law that could give developers the right to have their proposals assessed by a Development Assessment Panel instead of by Council. Furthermore, the Minister could be given authority to initiate changes to the Planning Scheme to make it more sympathetic to the development.
I would urge you to read the position paper attached and make a submission in response.
Submissions close 5pm on the 30th of November.
These proposals have already come up against a lot of community opposition. They had initially been part of the Review of Local Government but were withdrawn from that process presumably due to community backlash. Hence we need to drive home that community opposition now that they have reappeared.
Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania has put out the attached media release.
So, tedious though it is, we once more need to make our voices heard to protect the mountain. This time it is by fighting to retain local control over planning decisions.
At this stage that is by responding to the Position Paper. Late,r it may be by lobbying politicians.
If you don’t have the time to engage with the Position Paper you can still help by giving the State Planning Office the following feedback:
– Keep planning local and democratic.
– Don’t take planning away from Local Government.
– Don’t give the Minister the power to change the Local Planning Scheme.
However you choose to respond, you can send your response to yoursay.planning@dpac.tas.
Yours for the Mountain,
Phil Stigant
Residents Opposed to the Cable Car
