If you can, also personalise your submission by writing why Lutruwita/Tasmania’s coastlines matter to you and your way of life.

Personalising your message creates a powerful impact with Parliamentarians.

I oppose the proposed changes to the State Coastal Policy due to the below issues and concerns:

Scrap the proposed amendment

The state government has issued a State Coastal Policy Position Paper that proposes to remove a key part of the State Coastal Policy, section 1.4.2, which would remove a key protection for actively mobile landforms such as frontal dunes. I do not support this change and recommend the proposed amendment to the State Coastal Policy be abandoned.

The need for the amendment has not been established

The Position Paper does not provide a convincing explanation for what the purported problem with the State Coastal Policy is and why the amendment is being proposed. The Position Paper claims that there are problems with application of section 1.4.2 of the State Coastal Policy but there is no reference in it to legal advice. The state government has previously refused to release any legal advice, and it is uncertain if it has obtained any. If the government cannot explain the need for the change, then it should not make the change.

The government just wants to make it easier to build windfarms on the coast

It looks like the state government has fabricated a problem with the State Coastal Policy to disguise its true interest, which we believe is to remove a potential legal obstacle for wind farm developments that require infrastructure on coastal areas.

Actively mobile landforms have high conservation values and must be protected

There is a very good reason to keep clause 1.4.2 of the State Coastal Policy, as it provides protection for actively mobile landforms that may have high conservation cultural and natural values. The impacts of climate change make it even more important to not make it easier for development to be built on actively mobile landforms such as sand dunes.

Fast track amendment process will create planning uncertainty

As outlined in the Position Paper, the State Government proposes to use section 12 of the State Policies and Projects Act 1993 that allows the amended policy to become an Interim State Policy and have effect while it is being reviewed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. The obvious weakness of this approach is that, if the Tasmanian Planning Commission finds problems with the amended policy, it will already be in force and may continue to be for up to 12 months.

False alarm about the need to define ‘actively mobile landforms’

The State Government has created false alarm about the absence of a definition of an ‘actively mobile landform’, in the State Coastal Policy or in legislation, when the policy has operated successfully for 28 years without a definition. If this was a significant problem the state government’s lawyers would presumably have given advice about it and the government would release it. There are many key terms related to natural values that are also not defined in policies or legislation. Planning authorities and experts can work out definitions and how they are applied geographically when development assessments are made.

State of the Environment Report recommends undertaking a comprehensive review of Tasmanian Coastal Policy

It is good to review our planning laws and policies to ensure they are performing as we expect and are responsive to changes such as climate change. The State Coastal Policy has not been reviewed since its inception in 1996. The recently released State of the Environment Report recommends to “Undertake a comprehensive review of Tasmanian Coastal Policy in response to the pressures and threats to natural and built costal environment.” This recommendation is supported but only if the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s intent in making the recommendation is followed and that a full review under the State Policies and Projects Act 1993 is undertaken (and not the ‘fast-track’ process through section 12).

Yours sincerely,

(Include your name)