The controversial University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill—which rezones and earmarks prime Sandy Bay campus land for sale to fund a new STEM precinct—was passed by the House of Assembly on Wednesday night.
Labor combined with the government to defeat amendments proposed by Independents and the Greens, sparking accusations that the vote was quietly advanced while public and parliamentary attention was dominated by the state’s proposed $1.3 billion stadium deal. Opponents argue the Bill breaks a key 2024 election promise and risks the future of the university’s essential STEM facilities, especially as the government remains silent on providing the $100 million state funding UTAS needs to make its redevelopment plan viable.
Media release – Save UTAS Campus Inc., 5 December 2025
LIB BILL TO SELL OFF UTAS STEM FACILITIES PASSES LOWER HOUSE
Against strong opposition from independents and the Greens, on Wednesday night Labor combined with the government to pass the University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill in the lower house. The Bill approves for sale and rezones to ‘inner residential’ vital STEM facilities and student accommodation at Sandy Bay.
Although in its ‘STEM Precinct Detailed Business Case’ UTAS says the hundreds of millions required to rebuild the lost STEM facilities will come from the Commonwealth and from a $100M gift from the state government, the sustained silence from the state government suggests that the UTAS plan is dead.
Minister Madeleine Ogilvie was challenged by Greens deputy leader Vica Bayley about the $100M that UTAS needs from the state. The Minister refused to respond, and all indications are that no state funding will be forthcoming.
Independent Kristie Johnston moved an amendment to force the government to honour its 2024 election promise that no campus land would be sold without a ‘compelling business case’.
Neither the government nor UTAS have developed a business case to support the Bill.
Though the amendment was supported by independents Craig Garland and Peter George and by the Greens, Labor again combined with the government to defeat it. The speeches by Labor members revealed that they were not even aware of UTAS’s new STEM Precinct Detailed Business Case.
SaveUTAS co-chair Mike Foster says the Bill deals a blow to the hopes of young Tasmanians who might have enrolled at UTAS.
“Essential UTAS STEM facilities will be seen as ‘temporary’ because the Bill rezones them for housing and earmarks them for sale even though UTAS cannot replace them. What message does this give to Tasmanian families about the future of our only university?”
The Bill still must pass the Legislative Council next year.
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