The controversial Major Projects Bill passed the Legislative Council this morning (Thursday 24 September 2020) with no significant amendments. All of the amendments put by the Member for Nelson Hon Meg Webb and supported by Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania and Tasmanian Conservation Trust were unsuccessful. The amendments that were included were very minor and we anticipate the final bill is likely to pass by the House of Assembly today.

Most notably the unsuccessful amendments included:

– rights of appeal against a major project approval;

– requiring a major project to be compliant with reserve management plans and consistent with state policies and planning policies; and

– numerous changes to require more appropriate membership of the Development Assessment Panel and more transparent and inclusive assessment processes.

The Labor Party’s attempt to get amendments addressing donations by developers to political parties did not gain a majority.

PMAT and TCT thank the Member for Nelson Hon Meg Webb for her tireless efforts putting these and other amendments and arguing for them. We also thank the minority of independent members who voted for some of these amendments. We specifically acknowledge Meg Webb, Tania Rattray, Rosemary Armitage and Rob Valentine for supporting the proposed appeals amendment.

PMAT and the TCT have opposed the Bill from the start and at minimum tried to improve the Bill with 22 critical amendments. We thank Meg Webb, Rob Valentine and Mike Gaffney for voting against the Bill.

PMAT State Coordinator Sophie Underwood said that:

“The story of the marathon debate in the Legislative Council is that the Labor Party failed to address community concerns and sided with the Gutwein Liberal Government on every amendment that was not put by Labor.”

“The Labor Party is putting developers including those from overseas ahead of the local Tasmanian community.”

Tasmanian Conservation Trust CEO Peter McGlone said that:

“It is extraordinarily disappointing that the Labor Party backed down on appeal rights after supporting them in the Lower House. This back down mirrors their backdown on poker machines following the 2018 state election.”

PMAT State Coordinator Sophie Underwood said that:

“All the most controversial developments currently proposed around Tasmania can be assessed and approved as major projects and avoid proper scrutiny and put at risk Tasmania’s natural places, heritage and lifestyle.”

“The community’s concerns can be ignored in this developer friendly process and we will not have the right to appeal the final decision.”

Tasmanian Conservation Trust CEO Peter McGlone said that:

“By supporting the Major Projects legislation Labor and Liberal have shown they support more skyscrapers in Hobart and Launceston, cable cars on Mt Wellington, Cradle Mountain and Mr Roland; the Westbury prison and Cambria Green near Swansea.”

“Tasmanian Communities will now live in fear that controversial developments, even those rejected by local councils, will be forced through as major projects.”