Economy
Seven Mile Peninsula: Is this a repeat of Ralphs Bay? Beaconsfield loses its lustre
Matthew Goggin
The Tasmanian Conservation Trust today accused the state government of scraping the 2009 draft management plan for the Seven Mile Peninsula and abandoning a proposed community steering committee in favour of a Ralphs Bay-style exclusive deal to develop a golf course and resort for the peninsula. The state government has also ignored a 2008 government-funded consultant’s report which ‘rules out development over most of the peninsula’.
In response to numerous competing development proposals for the area, including a major sand mine, the state government produced the preliminary September 2008 ‘Seven Mile Peninsula Management and Development Strategy’ (The Strategy – copy attached). One of the key recommendations of the Strategy (page 10) was to immediately develop a management plan for the peninsula, including a rehabilitation plan. The management plan was to be developed with full public consultation and to designate what development could take place on the peninsula and balance this with protecting the area’s natural and recreational values.
In March 2009 the state government informed the TCT that a draft management plan for Seven Mile Beach Peninsula had been developed and invited the TCT to nominate for a steering committee to oversea its implementation.
“The draft management plan for the Seven Mile Peninsula has never been publicly released or completed and the community consultation committee has never eventuated,” said TCT Director Peter McGlone.
“In scraping the management plan and consultative committee the government has abandoned the principles of transparency and balance and again struck an exclusive deal with a big company to develop public land.
“The government is putting the development of an exclusive resort ahead of the many people who enjoy the area for walking, horse riding, orienteering, cycling, dog walking and picnics.
“Unless the government can provide explanations, the general public would be entitled to believe that the current development proposal is linked to the government’s decision to scrap the management plan and community consultation process.
“The TCT is not against development of the Seven Mile Peninsula and a golf course may be acceptable, but without a management plan there are no rules to place limits on how big the golf course can be, where it can be constructed and how it may restrict other uses.”
Another key document which, to our knowledge, has never seen the light of day is the June 2007 report ‘Strategic Land Use and Development Study for the Seven Mile Peninsula’, produced for the state government by consultant Robert Luxmoore. According to the government’s Strategy this report ‘rules out development over most of the peninsula’ (‘Seven Mile Peninsula Management and Development Strategy’, page 11).
“If the government is interested in a balanced and transparent approach to development of public land it should publicly release the consultant’s report which advised against development of the Seven Mile Peninsula,” Mr McGlone continued.
“The community deserves to see the consultant’s report and have the government explain why its recommendations appear to have been ignored.
“The licence issued to the Matthew Goggin Foundation should be revoked immediately and no other licences issued until the management plan is finalised and the Luxmoore consultant’s report is publicly released” Mr McGlone concluded.
The key questions which the state government must answer are:
– why was the management plan drafted and then not finalised?
– why was the community invited to participate in a steering committee which never eventuated?
– why has a consultant’s report which was critical of the development potential of the area never released?
• Meanwhile, Beaconsfield loses its lustre
Tasmania’s Beaconsfield gold mine is facing closure more than five years after it became the scene of one of the country’s most dramatic rescues.
The owner, BCD Resources, has announced it expects mining to wind up by June, with the loss of up to 103 full-time jobs.
It blames the low gold price and says it is not profitable to mine below the current depth.
CEO Peter Thompson says the company will review the mine life if the price of gold increases.
Last year Beaconsfield was facing closure until it secured an $8 million loan from investor mine makers and another $6 million from new investors.
BCD Resources shed 85 jobs in September last year and recorded a $20 million net loss this financial year.
A rockfall on Anzac Day in 2006 killed miner Larry Knight but two others, Brant Webb and Todd Russell, were rescued after two weeks trapped underground.