Community Access Needs to be Investigated
Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP
Greens Member for Braddon
The Tasmanian Greens today said that local small businesses and domestic users in the North West are being told that they cannot connect to the taxpayer subsidised roll-out of reticulated gas to the Simplot plant, despite the pipeline’s close proximity to their premises, and called on the Minister for Infrastructure, David O’Byrne, to investigate other users having access to this infrastructure.
Greens Member for Braddon, Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran said that the taxpayer subsidised gas roll-out to Simplot vegetable processing plant would be value-added by allowing connections to other business, schools and domestic users in the broader Gawler and Ulverstone areas.
“I have been informed by a local small business owner, who is also building a new house, that he has been told he cannot be connected into the gas pipeline, even though it runs right past his business and house,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“It is bizarre to have publicly-subsidised infrastructure virtually passing people’s doors, but which apparently is for the exclusive use of one customer only.”
“Taxpayer dollars have been used to subsidise the pipe extension to Simplot to guarantee the hundreds of local jobs it supports, and the Greens acknowledged this move as necessary at the time. However, there was a broad expectation within the community that this investment would facilitate other users having access to gas as well.”
“With a new Ulverstone Wharf re-development currently in the construction phase and families wanting to reduce rising cost of living costs, here is a terrific opportunity to value add to this roll-out of reticulated gas to the Central Coast region.”
“I will be raising this with the Minister for Infrastructure, David O’Byrne, to seek clarification as to why this tax-payer subsidised investment apparently is not available to other users, and to get a commitment to having that access for other business operators and domestic users introduced on an appropriate commercial basis,” Mr O’Halloran said.
Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP Greens Member for Braddon
