Tasmanian State Coastal Policy
Summary
The Tasmanian Government have released draft legislation to fast-track changes to Tasmania’s State Coastal Policy through the Tasmanian Parliament.
The Validation Bill is proposed by the State Government to validate planning permits for all developments that have been built or are approved to be built on actively mobile landforms under the current Tasmanian State Coastal Policy, during a period from 2003 until the bill obtains royal assent. The government has confirmed that the bill will validate the approval for the pilitika/Robbins Island wind farm that is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court.
Changes of this magnitude, with such far reaching consequences, should go through the standard existing robust legislated eight-week public consultation process (with opportunity for public hearings) conducted by the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
The proposed changes will profoundly weaken the State Coastal Policy and the way our 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.
The Tasmanian Government released a State Coastal Policy Position Paper for public comment to fast-track changes to Tasmania’s State Coastal Policy that closed Monday 21 October 2024. Note this was a separate process to the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024 which passed the Parliament in October 2024 . You can view PMAT’s Submission on the State Coastal Policy Position Paper here.
Key reasons why PMAT, the Tasmanian Conservation Trust and the Australian Coastal Society (Tasmanian Branch), encouraged the Tasmanian Parliament to oppose the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024:
- Government has not released its advice
- Existence of coastal infrastructure not confirmed
- Government’s claims about lack of definitions and maps not substantiated
REASON 2: The Supreme Court should be allowed to do their job
REASON 3: Retrospective suspension of State Coastal Policy undermines the rule of law
REASON 4: Impacts of the pilitika/Robbins Island wharf will not be assessed
REASON 5: Public submissions raised serious concerns about the Validation Bill that were ignored
REASON 6: Unintended consequences of the Validation Bill
REASON 7: No need to rush changes
REASON 8: Fast-tracking amending the Tasmanian State Coastal Policy to create a new assessment process for developments on actively mobile landforms
See more information for each reason in the Background Report (below).
1. Background Report
Please read PMAT’s background report: Proposed changes to the Tasmanian State Coastal Policy 1996 and the proposed Robbins Island wind farm.
2. Media Releases
Please read PMAT’s Media Releases below:
Joint Media Release: Proposed changes to Tasmania’s Coastal Policy touches community nerve
Joint Media Release: State Government must scrap its proposed legislation to weaken the Tasmanian Coastal Policy
Joint Media Release: State Government must not legislate to kill ongoing court case over Robbins Island wind farm
3. PMAT's Submission on the Draft Validation Bill 2024
Ask your local Council’s position on DAPs. In total 542 submissions were received in 2023 re DAPs on urban/private land with 515 (95%) against (clearly against: 15 community organisations, 484 individuals, 11 councils and 5 councils mostly against). In total, only 14 submissions were clearly in favour. Only four individual members of the public and one council supported the DAPs. The other supporting submissions were development-focused government departments and peak organisations for property development and related industries. See Councillor contact details, including an easy-to-use group email option here:
4. Environmental Defenders Office Submission
The Environmental Defenders Office Submission in response to the Draft Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024 (lutruwita/Tasmania)
5. Staff Members of the University of Tasmania Law School
Submission to the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024 by Ms Anja Hilkemeijer, Professor Jan McDonald, Dr Emille Boulot and Ms Cleo Hansen-Lohrey.
6. Public Submission Results
August 2024
With just over 400 submissions made in the briefest of public comment periods, 97% of submissions received by the Tasmanian Government were opposed to the proposed retrospective changes to the State Coastal Policy.
A total of 387 submissions, 268 from members of the public and 19 from community groups statewide indicated their clear and unambiguous opposition to the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024 tabled in State Parliament on 7 August. Many of the submissions included personal anecdotes and statements on the personal connections people have with the Tasmanian coast.
Just three submissions in support of the legislation were received; the remaining 10 submissions were neutral. Of the 24 coastal Councils in Tasmania, just two made submissions. Clarence Council offered only qualified support, while Kingborough Council was neutral.
Read the Media Release below: Tasmanian community overwhelmingly rejects proposed retrospective changes to State Coastal Policy – for more information and submission results.
October 2024
PMAT helped generate 135 submissions on the State Coastal Policy submission paper.
See PMAT’s submission on the State Coastal Policy Submission Paper position below.
7. PMAT's Submission on Coastal Policy Paper
The Tasmanian Government released a State Coastal Policy Position Paper for public comment to fast-track changes to Tasmania’s State Coastal Policy that closed Monday 21 October 2024. Note this was a separate process to the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024.
See PMAT’s Submission on the Coastal Policy Paper below.
Related News & Media
Joint Media Release: Proposed changes to Tasmania’s Coastal Policy touches community nerve
A coalition of community groups concerned for Tasmania’s coasts have welcomed the hundreds of public submissions made in response to
Background Report & Joint Media Releases: Scrap proposed legislation to weaken State Coastal Policy
PMAT, and other Tasmanian conservation organisations, are calling on the State Government to halt plans to retrospectively amend the Tasmanian
Joint Media Release: State Government must scrap its proposed legislation to weaken the Tasmanian Coastal Policy
Tasmanian conservation organisations repeat their call for the State Government to scrap their retrospective legislation to amend the Tasmanian State
Mercury Opinion Piece: “Cease bids to interfere with coastal policies”
“If there are genuine concerns about the state’s coastal policy, then let’s follow an informed consultative process, not rush through
Image of Robbins Island/pilitika thanks to Rob Blakers
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