McGill Rise
The Glenorchy Planning Authority makes decisions on behalf of the Glenorchy City Council in accordance with the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act, and is chaired by the mayor. Assessments and approvals made by the GCC Planning Authority are in accordance with this act & directly refer to the planning scheme.
The issue here was tabled as a building control related matter under the Building Act 2016 and was not required to be considered by the Glenorchy Planning Authority at the time of assessing the overall development, as it was reported to me (and recommended by the mayor/officers) as being outside of our/my legislated role. From my knowledge and in spite of the above mentioned, council officers still investigated the issues raised about McGill Rise and based on the findings, council approached CBOS in 2018 seeking further investigations and also requested that CBOS pursue enforcement action. The former mayor met with the minister to highlight the issues presenting at McGill Rise as well, in order to seek the formal involvement of CBOS to enforce ‘meaningful’ action.
From 2018 until now, council officers appear to me (in my role) to have been proactive. They acted as quickly as possible in their role, and notified the governing body in consideration of their statuary limitation and overall positions scope. Council officers have also reported as having regularly engaged with CBOS over this time, sharing information and determining the appropriate course of action together.
All Aldermen were briefed on the ‘actual’ seriousness and high-risk nature of the McGill development only in the days prior to the council formally issuing Emergency Orders.
Many issues remain in the system (where private contractors are entrusted with our lives) and fingers can be pointed at all levels somewhat for the lack of communication and action when it counted most. But don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story… or political grandstanding.
– Kelly Sims, Alderman, Glenorchy City Council
Minister Sussan Ley
Dear minister, you recently visited the west coast of Tasmania to talk to Bob Brown about work going on by MMG to build a new tailings dam in the Tarkine, but going on your track record of giving developments a fast-track tick of approval, I do not believe that you came with an open mind.
To properly understand the situation you must take the time to experience the takayna rainforest. A brief fly-in-fly-out visit cannot help you to understand the true takayna environment. Do your job properly, environment minister Ley.
– Andrew Davies, Cremorne
The Northern Prison, the Future of Meander Valley & Beyond
Each day as we read and hear the news we are confronted by the fact that crime has seriously escalated over the years and this is a very real concern to many of us. Crimes occur not only in low income areas, they take place next door and down the street. Crime has become very local for us all. Right here on our own island, this surge in crime is most uncomfortable and we all wonder what is being done about this, anything?
Well, we know a new prison is proposed for the north but the ‘revolving door’ means that those prone to criminality come in and out of prison every few years. We know, too, that those released from prison tend to remain in the local vicinity, where they commit more crime and go right back inside. The reality is that all of us in the Meander Valley region must accept the very real risk that we will become increasingly targeted by criminals going around this ‘revolving door’.
Experts know the facts on repeat offending and they are dire. Our government, however, keeps these facts from us, keeping us in ignorance, refusing to admit that we are all accepting very real violence into our lives by agreeing to this new Northern Regional Prison. Ignorance is not bliss! The truth is, our future is not being well managed.
New Tasmanian Ferries are being built to bring tourists to the north-west of Tasmania. We can see our government cutting off Meander Valley and supplying Burnie and Devonport with new life. What are they offering us? A life of danger, that’s what they are giving us with this prison. We do not need it in the middle of the Meander Valley, one of the most peaceful areas in Tasmania. We should not be exposed to rising violence, nor do we need to accept this ill-considered prison. It is time for us all to wake up to what is really being proposed here. And we must do it now before it’s too late.
– Tessa & Frank Schiff, Deloraine
Perspective
At least Cassy O’Connor has kept her position as Leader of the Opposition.
– Dr Ian Broinowski, Battery Point
Discord in Values
Wild Game Resources Australia has put out a Wildlife Trade Operation Proposal to harvest wallabies in Tasmania.
Do they use the term harvest because it is like cutting the heads off of grain? Is this proposal in accord with the clean and green image of Tasmania that some people value?
– Ivan Davis, Claremont
Container Refund Scheme
Submissions for the Tasmanian Government’s proposed Container Refund Scheme (CRS) Bill close at 5pm Friday 9 July. Without substantial public submissions opposing the myriad shortcomings of the Bill, it will become law sometime in 2022 and will be phased in within 18 months.
The CSR Bill calls for a 10 cent refund on eligible containers – glass bottles, aluminium cans and PET plastic bottles for all beer, cider, soft drinks, water, juice, flavoured milk, alcopops and Ready To Drinks. The 10 cent refund can be redeemed at 60-plus depots which will scattered around the state, including several Reverse Vending Machines. The CRS Bill is a rather cunning piece of government policy because the state government will neither fund nor run the scheme. Consumers of certain beverages – not wine, spirits or milk, at this stage – will fund the scheme and an arms-length entity (comprising representatives from beverage producers and recycling businesses) will run it.
It is being described as a way of ‘reducing litter and increasing recovery and recycling of beverage containers’ and is clearly aimed at the likes of Coke and VB. The evidence that 10 cents will be sufficient financial inventive to achieve these aims is deeply flawed. Both the Hyder Consulting (2009) and Marsden Jacob Associates (2018) reports stressed this point. “Relatively low deposits … provide less incentive to redeem through depots”. Both reports recommended a 20 cent deposit and “robust exploration of [alternative] options”. The state government has ignored both these pieces of professional advice.
The compliance costs for small producers like ourselves would be exorbitant. We would probably be required to purchase individual bar-codes for our 20-odd different products and print new labels incorporating the bar-codes and new refund/recycling requirements. We estimate it will cost us at least $10K – unless the state government somehow decides that Tasmanian small beverage producers should be totally exempt from the CRS. Beer will rise $2.40/slab under the CRS.
The 60-plus refund depots are largely unnecessary because kerbside recycling reaches around 90 percent of Tasmanian households. It’s supposed to reduce litter but the CRS doesn’t even address the Big Six of litter’s ‘Dirty Dozen’, namely: cigarette butts, fast food containers, plastic straws, plastic bags, paper and cardboard.
And how exactly do our state politicians imagine a 10 cent refund is going to entice citizens to ‘do the right thing’ sometime in 2023? Am I going to stop using the perfectly adequate kerbside recycling bin and start hoarding my bottles and cans until I’ve accumulated around 50, say? Then I’ll just load them into my car boot to drive to one of these Reverse Vending Machines, spend time inserting them so I can get a direct credit of $5 which might just buy me a take-away coffee?
– Willie Simpson, co-owner and director of Seven Sheds Brewery
Letters are welcome on any Tasmanian subject, up to 300 words (we allow a few longer ones occasionally but you’d be surprised how much people appreciate you getting to the point). Letters should be concise, respectful of others and rely on evidence where necessary. No links please! Letter writers should provide a real name and town / suburb. Letters can be send on behalf of organisations or groups. Submit letters in the body of an email to [email protected]
Comments are turned off on this post…send us a letter!
