PMAT’s key concerns and recommendations are summarised here and attached in more detail below.

1. The Tasmanian Government wants to create an Interim State Policy, using section 12 of the State Policies and Projects Act 1993. This gives immediate effect to development applications and is not recommended. This will be the first time that an Interim State Sustainable Development Policy has been proposed in Tasmania.

   An Interim State Policy would give immediate effect to the Tasmanian Government’s proposed revision of Outcome 1.4 Coastal Hazards before any consideration by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, before any public consultation by the Tasmanian community and with no Parliamentary oversight.

   Fast tracking changes to the State Coastal Policy will create planning uncertainty with likely perverse and ad hoc planning outcomes. Prioritising individual commercial developments over a proper review of the State Coastal Policy is reactive and undermines sound strategic planning.

   Any significant amendments to the Tasmanian State Coastal Policy must go through the standard robust and transparent legislated eight-week public consultation process (with opportunity for public hearings) conducted by the Tasmanian Planning Commission and then be subject to Parliamentary oversight.

2. Undertake a comprehensive review of the State Coastal Policy, as recommended by Tasmania’s State of the Environment Report.

3. Abandon the State Government’s proposed amendment to the State Coastal Policy.

4. The need for amending Outcome 1.4 Coastal Hazards has not been established as the Tasmanian Government has failed to outline the legal reasons for the proposed changes.

5. In the absence of the Tasmanian Government abandoning its proposed amendments to the Tasmanian State Coastal Policy we support the Australian Coastal Society Ltd’s revised wording to Outcome 1.4 Coastal Hazards which removes the phrase ‘actively mobile landforms’.

6. Identification/mapping of hazardous areas – adopt Chris Sharple’s expert guidance.

The Tasmanian Government’s proposed changes will profoundly weaken the State Coastal Policy and the way Lutruwita/Tasmania’s coasts are managed and protected in Tasmania.

Tasmania’s coast is unique and largely unspoilt, thanks to the State Coastal Policy, which has protected it for almost 30 years.