Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS, Mr DUIGAN
My colleague, Ms Badger, and I and all the Greens would like to know about the minister’s response to the expiry date of the Lake Malbena lease, which was 31 March this year. This is an exclusive peppercorn lease over Halls Island at Lake Malbena. Can you confirm that you have renewed the lease to Wild Drake and will you today table the deed of variation to the lease?
ANSWER
Mr President, the Halls Island/Lake Malbena proposal remains subject to all relevant local, state and Australian government planning and approvals processes. At this point in time, this is a matter with the Australian Government to progress. In regards to the lease extension. the proponent continues to engage directly with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
In relation to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 referral, this remains with the Australian Government, as a current planning matter and will require the relevant federal minister, post the election, to make a decision on the proposal. In the interim period, any questions in relation to the process or referral, should it progress, would need to be made directly to DCCEEW. I have continued to take advice in relation to the lease and licence arrangement for Halls Island. Following review of that advice and in consideration of the significant time and resources that the proponent has expanded to date on the EPBC referral, an extension has been granted to 31 March 2026. The lease and the deed of variation remain publicly available on the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania’s website.
Ms O’Connor – Through you, Mr President ‑ so that is the current lease and variation? The renewed lease?
Mr DUIGAN – As I say, the lease and deed of variation remain publicly available on the department website. In regard to why a 12‑month extension, there has not been any certainty as to when the Australian Government will make a determination on the EPBC referral. Given the upcoming federal election, the matter will also be subject to caretaker conventions and matters of EPB referral administration, which obviously will need to be discussed at the federal department level.
This, of course, is expected to result in even further delays for a decision from the Australian Government, and it is not reasonable to cancel the lease while these matters are not within the proponent’s control. Should the Australian Government assessment conclude favourably for the proponent, then the proponent will also need to seek local government development approval within this time frame, so within the 12 months extension they would need to seek a DA.
It is reasonable to expect both processes to take several months individually. Therefore, collectively, an extension of 12 months to allow both these processes to proceed is considered reasonable in the circumstances. Importantly, this is also in accordance with the deed of variation that, as the minister responsible, I should not unreasonably withhold consent to an extension of the milestone if the operator is responding to requests from the Commonwealth within a reasonable time frame. In short, an extension to 31 March 2026.
While I am on my feet, I have some information for the member for Hobart around Tiger Hut. For those not familiar, Tiger Hut is situated in the Liawenee Conservation Area and has a long history of being privately run, rustic accommodation ‑ one of those offerings in the Central Highlands. The hut has been under lease for the purposes of the lessee providing low‑cost visitor accommodation since 2012. In recent times, the lessee has sought to transfer their lease to another party. However, that arrangement did not proceed. A deed of surrender was signed by the lessee on 20 July 2024. This means that as of that date, the hut has been relinquished by the proponent and came back under the management of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service.
Now, from a government perspective, an inspection was undertaken by Parks late last year and a decision made that the hut would require additional works prior to any future offering as a commercial accommodation offering. There are no plans for the Parks service to rent out Tiger Hut for commercial accommodation. The hut could be made available to another proponent under a new lease, should such a proposal come forward. However, I can confirm that, at this time, there are no plans to sell the hut.
Ms O’Connor – You said lease. Did you mean lease or sell?
Mr DUIGAN – I can confirm that, at this time, there are no plans to sell the hut. The hut could be made available to another proponent under a new lease, should such a proposal come forward.
