Mr BAYLEY question to MINISTER for PARKS and ENVIIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
Out of the blue last month, you announced your intention to amend a longstanding and fundamental component of Tasmania’s planning and environment framework, the State Coastal Policy. This decision was all about giving a multinational developer a retrospective workaround for the Robbins Island wind farm. This development would have otherwise been non‑compliant with the State Coastal Policy. You might have taken this decision to help out one developer, but it has already alarmed communities in every corner of this island because of the wide‑ranging ramifications.
Did you or any representative of the government discuss the State Coastal Policy with the Robbins Island project proponent prior to the decision to try to amend it? Will you make public the advice you claim justifies your unprecedented intervention? Do you accept that going ahead with the changes of this policy will mean reduced protection for coastlines in Tasmania?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. It is important to remember that the Tasmanian government supports a balanced and sensible approach to developments that benefit all Tasmanians, while also protecting our coastlines and their environmental values. We look to introduce legislation that ensures we can protect our coastal environment and allow sensible and sustainable recreational and other infrastructure that is necessarily connected to our coast. The Tasmanian government supports an existing objective of the State Coastal Policy to reduce the cost of building coastal infrastructure in appropriate areas.
As the member would be aware, the government received advice in March regarding the application of the State Coastal Policy. It is a different interpretation of the way the policy had been applied. This advice was at odds with the way the policy had been applied since 1996, and this has obviously created-
Dr Woodruff – Who gave you the advice?
Mr DUIGAN – I think the advice came from the State Solicitor.
Dr Woodruff – What did you ask?
Madam SPEAKER – You have had your question, thank you.
Mr DUIGAN – This has created uncertainty in a planning process for the Robbins Island wind farm that our government believes should be addressed. I think it is important to recognise that this could potentially impact the legality of all existing coastal developments and their ongoing use, all of which have been approved since 1996. That includes community infrastructure such as jetties and boat ramps and training walls and breakwaters and all of those things. This means that their development could be legally questioned, despite meeting all the requirements and being approved at the time of development and we believe as a government that the parliament should clarify this view. I understand there is a high level of public interest in this matter, and any legislation that we bring to parliament will be subject to the usual consultation process.
Madam SPEAKER – I draw the minister to the question around publication.
Mr DUIGAN – In terms of was I personally contacted by any members in regard to this, my memory would say, ‘no’. In terms of releasing advice, that is potentially a matter that I would need to look into.
Madam SPEAKER – Minister, your time has expired.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Mrs PENTLAND (Bass) – Madam Speaker –
Madam SPEAKER – I am sorry, member for Bass, it is going to sound really unfair, but on a supplementary, I do have to hear it. At any stage anyone wants to move dissent in that, I apologise, but supplementaries take precedence. If any of you jump before the member for Bass next time, shame on you.
Mr BAYLEY – The minister acknowledged in that response significant public interest in this matter. He acknowledged that in March, he had received advice from potentially the state’s solicitor, and I am not sure whether I heard him confirm that he would take on notice the question about releasing that advice. Could you confirm that, minister?
Mr DUIGAN – I thank the member for the supplementary question. We will do better than that. We will draft legislation, we will bring it to the parliament and parliament will decide as to whether this change to clarification of the coastal policy goes forward. We will consult on the legislation and we will bring it to this House and the House upstairs, and the House will have its determination.
