Last permit for Brighton bypass

The Tasmanian Government has cleared the way for a bridge to be built over the oldest evidence of human habitation in the southern hemisphere.

The Heritage Minister Brian Wightman has approved the final permit for the bridge, meaning construction can start on spanning an Aboriginal heritage site on the Jordan River levee.

About three million aboriginal artefacts dating back 40-thousand years were discovered on the banks of the Jordan River north of Hobart, during planning of the $176 million Brighton bypass project.

The aboriginal community has been lobbying for an alternative route to the road, but the government has decided a 70 metre bridge will protect the relics.

In a statement the secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, Norm McIlfatrick says he will talk to the Aboriginal community about the nature and timing of any work, before it starts.

The Aboriginal Centre has been contacted for comment (but it is believed the centre will increase its protests).

ABC Online HERE

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, HERE

• Nick McKim …

The Tasmanian Greens today expressed bitter disappointment at the defeat of their proposal to immediately cease construction work of the Brighton Bypass at the Jordan River Levee site, and engage with the Aboriginal community to investigate alternative routes, which was voted down by both the Labor and Liberal parties.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that on this issue the Liberals were clearly in the balance of power position, as it was clear that the Labor party would not vote in support of the Greens’ motion.
“The Greens position to prioritise the protection of the nationally and internationally significant Aboriginal cultural heritage at the Jordan River Levee over the bypass construction works for this section, has been consistent and well known,” Mr McKim said.
“Sadly it is just as well known that labor are intent on pursuing the current proposal and as such would not be supporting our motion, which clearly placed the Liberal Party in the balance of power position as the decision to allow the Brighton Bypass works to proceed hung on them and their vote.”
“The Greens agree that this is a bungled and flawed process, but in a power-sharing parliament all parties had a real opportunity to set matters right.”
“The Liberals cannot keep dodging responsibility by relying on blaming governments of the past without seizing the opportunities presented by the current Parliament. Having voted to defeat this motion, they now must share equal responsibility with Labor for any impacts upon this significant cultural heritage site caused by the Brighton Bypass project.”
“The Greens have consistently said that protecting the integrity of this heritage site must be the priority, Labor relied on a statutory process which will facilitate the Bypass, but the Liberals spent months dodging the issue.”
“When push came to shove, the Liberals fell over and failed to stand up for the protection of this acclaimed site and ensure its protection in accordance with the wishes of the Aboriginal community,” Mr McKim said.
Mr McKim also said that the text of his motion had been consulted with representatives of the Aboriginal community, those representatives had also requested that it not be debated last year as they were still hopeful that the additional time would assist in the Liberal Party coming to a position to support the motion.
Text of Greens’ motion, (defeated 20 [Labor & Liberals] to 5 [Greens]):
That the House:—
(1) Notes:—
(a) that the existing Brighton Bypass corridor was approved by State Cabinet in 1987, that is 23 years ago, and recognises that the existence of the Aboriginal site on the Jordan River Levee (JRL) was unknown to Cabinet when that decision was made;

(b) the single cultural heritage management option so far offered is to give the Aboriginal community what is left of the levee after taking or destroying Aboriginal cultural heritage with machinery and construction of a bridge; and

(c) that the “Interim Report on the Jordan River Levee Excavation” states:—

(i) the JRL site represents a site of high cultural and archaeological significance on both a national and international scale;
(ii) a clear position from the Aboriginal community and the cultural values of the site needs to be obtained; and
(iii) the Jordan River Levee is the site of the oldest known occupation of Tasmania and is highly significant, nationally and internationally.

(2) Requests the Minister for Infrastructure to:—

(a) cease any further works on the Brighton Bypass in that part of the Bypass that could not be utilised if either options 5 or 7 cited in the July 2010 GHD Pty Ltd Report entitled, Brighton Bypass Jordan River Crossing: Alignment Options – Geometric and Safety Review, were constructed instead;

(b) develop a respectful management plan that allows for Aborigines to connect with their past through this site and by allowing visitors to gain knowledge and insight of Aboriginal cultural heritage;

(c) undertake further detailed evaluation of options in the above report with a particular focus around the area identified in options 5 and 7; and

(d) submit a report to the Parliament containing the most prudent and feasible alternative to the existing alignment, but without crossing the levee for its consideration.