Mr BAYLEY (Clark) – Deputy Speaker, tonight seems to be a night of neglect and abrogation of responsibility when it comes to the government’s commitment to Tasmanian people and the services we need. Let me just say that underneath everything here, sitting on the lips of every Tasmanian, certainly so many of those ones that we door knocked during the election, is a billion‑dollar stadium at Macquarie Point. When we cannot fill roles in mental health and other services, people are rightly questioning how on earth can we be prioritised something like the stadium?
I rise tonight to talk about the sorry saga that is the Salamanca Arts Centre lift. Many of us watched this issue play out in the media, in John Kudelka’s tweets, and on the ground if you work or frequent the Salamanca Arts Centre and the fabulous galleries and businesses therein. The lift is out of order, inoperable and unusable, again. On 5 June last week, minister Duigan wrote to me in response to a constituent question with some alarming admissions that I would like to lay out tonight. It is, in effect, an admission of neglect and the chickens coming home to roost.
Amongst other things, last week’s letter declared the issue fixed. I quote, ‘The lift is now operational and access has been restored’, wrote minister Duigan. Well, minister, it is busted again. Tenants and patrons are either back on the stairs or locked out. This is a serious issue. These are public buildings, heritage buildings, hosting businesses in the heart of nipaluna/ Hobart’s tourism and artistic centre. The Salamanca Arts Centre is a popular place with over 300,000 visitors each year and is one of those places that is central to Tasmania’s cultural identity and brand.
It is unacceptable as an alternative to fixing a lift, or while they dither and delay in doing so, that the landlord, the Tasmanian government through the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, specifically the Parks and Wildlife Service, applies for an exemption from its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. A shame and an indictment on our government’s commitment to public access, public buildings and equal opportunity.
Let me lay this out from the start. Following a question from me in this place in mid-May, the minister tabled a January 2021 report into the lift. It followed a December 2020 inspection and is titled, ‘The Water Ingress Damage Report’, authored by Access Solutions, the original installers of the lift. It is probably best for me to read into Hansard directly from the report that ultimately detailed a total of $30,000 worth of repairs, some recommended for immediate attention and some that should be completed in five months.
“Following our inspection on Tuesday 22 December 2020, Access Solutions note that the lift at the Salamanca Art Centre was affected by a malfunctioning gutter, resulting in significant water ingress into the lift shaft. This resulted in the ropes, doors, electricals and sheaves being splashed with water. These items will need to be replaced and repaired, as applicable, to prevent rusting prematurely fatiguing numerous components. The bearings on the sheaves are also compromised and have become contaminated, meaning they will fail in due course.”
It goes on with some of the problems:
“As the lift is a critical item, we will reinstate it into operation providing everything runs once powered up. This should not be taken as making it fit for use long-term. In order to enable customer satisfaction, we have taken this step, but it is not standard. No immediate safety items are present but, if unattended to, these items will create safety issues.”
I will read that again: ‘If not attended to, these items will create safety issues.‘ Some of those things that needed fixing and the cost: clean the pit and contaminated oil $1800; new car counterweights rope, $5800. We are not talking big money here for a really significant piece of public infrastructure. What happened, though? Mr Duigan’s letter admits the failure. The letter is in response to a constituent question I asked for Kate Kelly, a community advocate leading the charge on highlighting the problem, pushing the government for a fix, and updating the media on progress, or lack thereof. She was on ABC radio again this morning. Again, let me read from Mr Duigan’s letter:
“I have sought advice in relation to the report undertaken in 2021 and can advise that Access Solutions undertook an inspection of the Salamanca Arts Centre lift on Tuesday 22 December 2020 and subsequently provided a report on 14 January 2021. I am advised that a review undertaken by the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania shows that there is no evidence that the works outlined in the 2021 report, except those required to reinstate the lift to working order and ongoing regular maintenance, were undertaken.”
No works were undertaken. The Rockliff government was advised in January 2021 that the lift needed urgent attention, that if unattended there would be safety issues. They did nothing. In three years, they did nothing. There is no evidence that the works outlined in the 2021 report were undertaken and now the lift has failed again. Putting aside the indignity and outrage of seeking an exemption from disability access laws, restoring access via a fixed or new lift will, undoubtedly, cost more. Whatever happened to the old adage, a stitch in time saves nine? Shame on this government and its agencies.
It begs the question: if the Parks and Wildlife Service cannot afford $30,000 to repair a lift in a heritage building in the heart of Hobart, or it will not prioritise it, can you imagine the neglect of critical infrastructure and other interventions needed to address issues in our parks and reserves?
Congratulations to Kate, John and others who have raised the alarm over this sorry saga. Sadly, it looks like there is some way to go. We will be there with the community to see it through and will continue to raise issues, such as the stadia – issues that appear to be the priority of this government to invest in ahead of the critical services that the Tasmanian community needs for its health, education, housing and, indeed, its access to some of its most important heritage buildings.
