Mr BAYLEY question to Minister for PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
There is an ongoing saga regarding the failure of the lift at the Salamanca Arts Centre. There has been an outpouring of frustration at the government’s lack of ability or willingness to address this issue. There has been a resulting impact on both patrons and tenants of the facility, many of them much loved within the Tasmanian community. We understand that the landlord, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, received a report in 2021 that concluded that water damage in the lift, if neglected, would cause a failure of the lift. History demonstrates that this lift has failed.
Can you confirm this report, and will you release it publicly? Can you also confirm what your plan is to resolve it, how much it will cost and when it will be resolved?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I add my congratulations to your elevation to this position. I thank the member for his question about the Salamanca Arts Centre lift. It is a matter of great concern for me. It is a matter of great frustration, a frustration shared by my fellow ministers for the Arts and Disability Services. It has been a challenge that we need to address. It has been at the forefront of my thinking since December last year.
To give you some context, the most recent failure of the lift was reported to the landlord a few days before Christmas last year. That had some ramifications and flow-on effects through the Christmas shutdown period. We managed to get somebody to come and look at it shortly thereafter. Access Solutions, the company responsible for installing and maintaining the lift, said we needed to order some parts to make the lift operational again. They said those parts were available on the other side of the world. We ordered those parts, they came, they were installed but that did not have the effect of making the lift work. That happened again and subsequently again. There has been an ongoing period where we have been, as a landlord, spending money on the lift and not getting the outcomes we required. We are some tens of thousands of dollars into this process now.
I was down there last week and have been in constant dialogue with members of the board, management and tenants to express the government’s shared frustration. I understand that getting to the first, second and third floor of the Salamanca Arts Centre is a challenge.
I have been told that a report is being compiled on Friday this week to determine whether the lift can be made to operate or whether a new lift is needed for the Salamanca Arts Centre. That would be a much longer process. I hope to have better understanding of what that will look like by the end of this week.
As we seek to provide access to visitors and people working in the centre, we are looking at stair accesses and covered courtyards for the Salamanca Arts Centre so that they can continue to have their events in the centre. Alternative accommodation has also been offered.
Mr BAYLEY question to MINISTER for PARKS and ENVIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
Madam Speaker, I refrained from interjection during his answer despite the fact he did not address this. I want to remind the House of the farcical and utterly unacceptable situation of the Salamanca Arts Centre lift. The landlord, our department, is applying for an exemption from disability access obligations. As we speak, this lift is not fixed.
I explicitly asked the minister because we understand there is a report, received in 2021 from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, that said if something was not done about the water damage, this lift would fail.
I ask the minister, is he is aware of this? Does he have a copy of this report? Will he confirm it? Will he release it publicly? Thank you.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his interest in this.
To touch on the point you raised about disability exemption, due to the protracted time frame that is required for a repair, I am advised that Parks and Environment (PWS) has applied to the Anti‑Discrimination Commissioner for an exemption under the Anti‑Discrimination Act. I understand this is currently under consideration by the commissioner, who will consider submissions made by interested parties. The exemption process in no way detracts from our commitment to repair the lift and provide access as it should be.
In regard to the 2021 report, I have not seen it. I am not sure of its existence or otherwise but I am happy to take that one on notice.
Mr Bayley – If it does exist, will you release it publicly?
Mr DUIGAN – First of all, I will find out if it does or does not exist, and get back to you shortly.
