CASSY O’CONNOR
The Tasmanian Greens today (Monday) called on the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) to release its costings for the Bartlett government’s proposed Tarkine loop road, following the release of internal documentation which reveals that the estimated costs have blown-out to $25 million.
Greens Environment, Parks and Heritage spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP, who had raised this matter of increased costs during Budget Estimate Committee Hearings, said that once the controversial road went from being a Forestry Tasmania road to a tourist road, the road safety requirements meant that it would need to be built to a higher standard at an increased cost.
“The Greens are calling for DIER to release immediately their current costings to build the divisive Tarkine loop road to a standard that meets road safety standards,” Ms O’Connor said.
“During the June Budget Estimate Committee hearings this year I raised concerns that the $23 million estimate from Forestry Tasmania was way off the mark and that a road built to DIER standards would cost more, and the release of documents under Freedom of Information laws confirm that there is at least one revised estimate of $25 million.”
“This is being paid for by the taxpayer, so the public have a right to know exactly how much this belligerent whim of the Bartlett government is expected to cost them.”
Earlier on Tasmanian Times, extracts from Matthew Denholm, Weekend Australian: Cost blowout on Tarkine road
