Picture: Grant Dixon
Tasmanians should be very wary that the Liberal leader Will Hodgman wants open slather development on kunanyi/Mt Wellington, says Greens Senate candidate and Hobart Alderman, Helen Burnet.
“Our Mountain is not up for sale to the highest bidder and the protection offered it by statutory requirements should not be stripped back,” Alderman Burnet said.
“The Mt Wellington Park Management Trust has a very important role in ensuring that the mountain is not at the whimsy of unviable development projects such as the cable car, which apart from significant environmental and visual impact, simply does not stack up economically.
“This assault on the Mountain is likely to be the thin edge of the wedge for Tasmania’s natural landscapes and we see even now that iconic places won’t be safe under the Liberals.
“We have seen the disasters of Queensland with wild rivers under threat from Liberal Premier Campbell Newman. We have seen what is occurring in NSW’s national parks where shooting is permitted under Liberal Premier Barry O’Farrell. And we can expect a shredding of environmental protection under an Abbott federal Liberal government,” Alderman Burnet said.
Alderman Burnet called for Council to consider doing more to facilitate the much-needed Springs public infrastructure upgrade, which has approval at all levels.
“The Wellington Park management Plan does not simply say no to development and this plan has approval from the Trust, Council as landlord and the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
“This announcement by Mr Hodgman to roll back protection of Mt Wellington to allow further development should ring alarm bells for Tasmanians.
“Mr Hodgman should be reminded that the Tasmanian public value their special places and want them protected, not trashed,” she concluded.
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• Helen Burnet: Letter to Will Hodgman: Hands off our mountain, Mr Hodgman!
With the release of the Wellington Park Management Plan draft comes threats to our Mountain (Mercury May 8).
Will Hodgman, be warned: Mt Wellington/kunanyi is not up for sale to the highest bidder and the protection offered it by statutory requirements should not be stripped back. The Mt Wellington Park Management Trust has a very important role in ensuring that the Mountain is not at the whimsy of unviable development projects such as the cable car, which apart from significant environmental and visual impact, simply does not stack up economically.
This assault on the Mountain is likely to be the thin edge of the wedge for Tasmania’s natural landscapes and we see even now that iconic places won’t be safe in the event the Liberals win government.
Interstate, we have Queensland’s wild rivers under threat from Liberal Premier Campbell Newman. We have shooting permitted in NSW’s national parks under Liberal Premier Barry O’Farrell. And we can expect a shredding of environmental protection under an Abbott federal Liberal government.
Why don’t state and local governments consider doing more to facilitate the much-needed Springs public infrastructure upgrade, which has approval at all levels? The Wellington Park Management Plan does not simply say no to development and this plan has approval from the Trust, Council as landlord and the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
The pronouncement by Mr Hodgman to roll back protection of Mt Wellington to allow further development should ring alarm bells for Tasmanians.
Mr Hodgman, the Tasmanian public value their special places and want them protected, not trashed!
Helen Burnet
Alderman HCC & Greens Senate candidate
