Ms BADGER (Lyons) – Deputy Speaker, I rise this evening to speak about an issue raised by the concerned community of Longford: a small, passionate, proud group of Tasmanians taking on big oil. They are taking a stand against a proposed 24‑hour unmanned fuel stop for B-double trucks which is being proposed by Lowes bp at the historic entrance of Longford on Tannery Road.
The Northern Midlands Council rejected the proposal due to the inadequate location, safety concerns and large community opposition. Consequently, the proponent has appealed their decision via TASCAT. I am told that five bicentennial trees were removed to facilitate the fuel stop driveway before the required permits were even granted.
Longford is one of the most important historic townships in Tasmania. Uniquely, it has two World Heritage sites in Brickendon and Woolmers. Longford is abundant in scenic wonder, both historical and natural.
The proposed fuel depot is adjacent to the historic and grand Kingsley House. Kingsley House has been accommodation for over 150 years. Presently there are some delightful Pacific Islander workers residing at Kingsley. These folks are celebrated as an integral part of the Longford community. They do not deserve to face 24‑hour intrusive truck movements and light pollution right beside their accommodation, not to mention that these are working folks and the fuel stock will unmanned – it will not be generating local employment opportunities.
On 1 May, the community held a very well‑attended rally on the proposed site of the depot. It was an honour to attend and to speak with the local communities. I acknowledge my fellow member for Lyons, Jen Butler, who was there along with numerous councillors from the Northern Midlands Council and former Speaker of this House Mr Michael Polly.
One of the most accurate posters held at the rally read ‘other towns are getting a bypass; Longford is getting more trucks’. In the short time period of this community rally, we all witnessed several near misses between cars and trucks. There are several major safety issues highlighted in real time. Large vehicles were pulling into Tannery Road where the fuel stop would be and were almost rear-ended by cars.
There is no safe place for cars to pass around and vehicles were stuck waiting for turning trucks, so much so that they backed up to the Illawarra roundabout and were then holding up traffic on that road or highway. On a side note, I receive more complaints and correspondence about that roundabout than I do the stadium. If we cannot maintain a basic bit of infrastructure, how will we adequately look after a stadium?
I digress. A solution may be undertaking road works to widen the road or construct a slip plane. On the surface, that might seem like a solution, but it would irrevocably damage the steep, bicentennial, rose-lined embankment and the avenue of trees, not to mention part of the historic Mill Dam trail.
The extraordinary, devoted Longford Gardening Club has planted and are caring for over 1000 native plants at the entrance to Tannery Road. They are there to beautify the entrance of Longford, and this fuel depot will erode their hard work and totally alter the character of their town. This is a rural road with tractors and slow moving machinery. It does not need to add B‑doubles to this mix – not when there are alternative and more sensible sites for this depot.
To be clear, there is no opposition to the concept of a 24‑hour refuelling station in the region, it just needs to be in the right location, and there are other options right along the main highway just a few hundred metres away.
I stand with the community of Longford and its surrounds – this proud and caring community who are taking on big oil. With them, I call on Lowes bp to rethink its position and pursuit of this specific location.
