Senator Richard Colbeck Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 19 March 2009. Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck insists Sid Sidebottom and Kevin Rudd should not offer any financial support to the State Labor Government’s ill conceived Tarkine loop road.
“THIS PROJECT was conceived in the days of Paul Lennon’s leadership and foisted on to Forestry Tasmania,” Senator Colbeck said.
“It is notable that Lennon loyalist Bryan Green is now out selling the project with Premier Bartlett.
“This is typical old-style Labor politics.
“The Labor project does nothing to showcase the region to its full potential. In fact, it cuts out key attractions and disadvantages existing communities and businesses.
“The so-called consultation process has been nothing more than instructing the community what it will have.
“In contrast, the State Liberal’s Tarkine plan is built on an extensive consultation process, conducted over a 2 year period through the Cradle Coast Authority.
“It was funded by a $200,000.00 grant from the Howard government and had all interested parties at the table in a genuine consultative process. The appendix of the document confirms the organisations that had input into the strategy.
“The entry nodes identified in the CCA and Liberal plans provide a much stronger and diverse opportunity to attract further private investment than just a road, building on existing infrastructure attractions and investments in the region.
“We must utilise the full potential of this region if it is to become the major attraction it could be, rather than isolating important assets as would happen with the narrow and ill considered State Labor approach.
“Mr Sidebottom and Mr Rudd might not be able to make up their minds on this project but the Coalition can.
“Mr Sidebottom must rule out any funding for Labor’s link road,” Senator Colbeck said.
