The Tasmanian Heritage Council has given no advice to Minister Ogilvie on the heritage impacts of the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium, despite a statutory requirement for them to do so. These revelations were uncovered in response to Greens’ questioning in Legislative Council Budget Estimates today.
The Macquarie Point Stadium would have significant impacts on priceless cultural heritage sites like the Cenotaph, the Good Shed, the Engineers Building, GasWorks and Evans St.
It’s staggering that the Tasmanian Heritage Council has not given any advice to the Minister on these places of State Significance. It’s flabbergasting given the impact the Macquarie Point Stadium would have on a place like the Cenotaph, Minister Ogilvie has not sought any advice.
It’s not good enough for the Minister to say this advice hasn’t been provided or sought because the Stadium is a Project of State Significance which overrides Tasmania’s Historic Cultural Heritage Act.
Sightlines to and from the sacred ground of the Cenotaph will be obstructed by this mammoth stadium. Does the Heritage Council approve? How would the Minister know if she hasn’t asked her key heritage advisory body?
The Liberals also want to move the historic Goods Shed, an important part of Hobart’s industrial rail history that has been accepted on to the State’s Heritage Register. Does the relocation plan have the Heritage Council’s support? How would the Minister know if she hasn’t asked?
Why the radio silence from the Heritage Council? It’s a core responsibility of the Council to advise the Minister on significant heritage matters, yet it was confirmed today, the advice has neither been sought, offered or given.
The fact that Minister Ogilvie has not requested or received advice from the Heritage Council on the Macquarie Point Stadium’s impact to our important historic cultural heritage sites beggars belief.
