Ms BADGER – As the minister responsible for the activities of the Coordinator‑General, I’ve got some questions on the tourism expression of interest process and the web portal that gives updates on the accepted concepts. The public relies on the accepted concepts web portal on the Coordinator‑General’s website for updates on the projects. Businesses also rely on it for confidence. Some of these projects are highly controversial. You would appreciate that many people love these places affected by the projects, so they want to be kept up to date. There are multiple examples of inaccuracies, including projects that have been withdrawn for more than six months, but they’re still on the site without it being updated. Can you please ask the Coordinator‑General to apply his coordinating skills and see that the website is updated much more frequently? For example, weekly would be good.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you for the question. We do want to provide timely information for the community. We take our responsibilities in managing the extensive reserve estate very seriously and remain committed to delivering the tourism expression of interest process, given the important role it plays in facilitating sensitive and appropriate tourism projects within Tasmania’s national parks, reserves and the Crown lands. From the Maydena Bike Park, Derwent Valley, Freycinet Lodge on the East Coast and the Blue Derby Pods Ride in the north east, we have been seeing great projects, great successes with the help of the tourism EOI process.
Ms BADGER – They’re great and they’re all up‑to-date on the website. Just looking at the ones that aren’t up‑to-date – the accepted concepts, not the projects that have come through the EOI process.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you. I will take advice
Ms BADGER – Happy to take that on notice –
Mr ROCKLIFF – and ensure that we have, unless anyone else at the table has some information that will be of assistance to the member for Lyons.
Mr LIMKIN – The Department of State Growth supports the Coordinator‑General on their administration functions. I’m more than happy to work with our business services team to ensure the website is updated. I don’t know about weekly. We continue to update them regularly. But we will work with the Coordinator‑General to make sure that they are contemporary and continue to inform the Tasmanian community.
Ms BADGER – Great. Yep, certainly more than six months. Appreciate that.
A recent RTI has revealed that the Office of the Coordinator‑General has incurred $300,000 in travel and entertainment expenses. This sits on top of an extraordinarily high wage. These are extraordinary numbers for an office designed to facilitate projects which are generally either stalled or withdrawn. Premier, how many projects of the Office of the Coordinator‑General successfully progressed to full operation in the last three years?
Mr ROCKLIFF – This is the Tourism and Hospitality output. I’m happy to provide answers to your question. It is in the Major Investment session and Mr Perry will be here for that, which is at the end of the day. More than happy to get Mr Perry at the table to answer your questions in an open and transparent way.
