The Tasmanian government has been accused of deceiving the community after it announced plans to amend its University of Tasmania protection legislation to allow for the sale of some of its Sandy Bay Campus.
The Liberals announced during this year’s election campaign that they would work to “keep the University of Tasmania in Sandy Bay”.
To do this, they said they would amend the University of Tasmania Act so that the sale of any part of the university’s Sandy Bay campus would have to be approved by both houses of parliament.
The legislation was seen by some opposed to the university’s move to the city, as a sign the government was intervening.
However, when pressed by the media during the election, the government would not be drawn on whether it would block any sale, saying it would need to see the development proposal first.
The university’s planned move into Hobart’s CBD, which has now been significantly scaled back, drew strong community opposition. (Facebook: Save UTAS campus)
The legislation was introduced to parliament back in June. It has yet to be debated, but the government already wants to amend it to allow for the land above Churchill Avenue to be rezoned as inner residential.
It means that the bill would protect some of the campus, as originally promised, however a portion would be rezoned and ready for sale without the need to come before parliament a second time.
“It is the policy that we’ve taken to the election, but I appreciate that we have brought the two pieces together at the same time,” Science Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said.
Ms Ogilvie said if the amendments were approved, any profits from developing and selling the land would to be funnelled back into the redeveloped science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) facility at Sandy Bay.
“The land below Churchill avenue, which is the campus we all know and love and we think about as the university campus, will be subject to that two houses rule [needing to pass parliament],” she said.
“But the land above Churchill Avenue will be carved out so that two parcels of land will be available to rezone as residential.
“This is how we afford it [the new STEM facility]. So I’d really like to encourage everybody who cares about education, cares about Tasmania, cares about our university to try and get on board with this proposal.”
The Old Medical Sciences building is one of the buildings above Churchill Avenue on the Sandy Bay campus. (ABC News: Kate Nickels)
Co-chair of Save UTAS Angela Bird described it as a deception, arguing the community hasn’t been consulted.
“It goes against what the community voted for at the last election,” Ms Bird said.
“There’s no transparency about why this land was identified and what the land is currently used for.
“Probably worse than that, the rezoning that they’re proposing without any transparency is … inner-city style housing on the slopes of Mount Nelson and in other parts of that area as well, which is totally inappropriate.”
The main part of the university campus is below Churchill Avenue. (ABC News: Loretta Lohberger)
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff accused the government of trying to ram through legislation.
“This is not what they promised the people of Hobart in the election,” she said.
“It’s almost like they thought they would just do what was required to get the votes they needed on this, and they were never intending to do the right thing.
“The right thing was to make sure that the university is directed towards its core duties of education, of providing the standards required, and fundamentally, of keeping the university campus [in Sandy Bay] and not moving into the city.”
Labor, which supports the university’s plan to build housing on the land, has welcomed the government’s announcement, while describing it as a “backflip”.
“We’re in a housing crisis, and looking to rezone land like this means that more Tasmanians can get into a home, that homes become more affordable and that we can support the university to undertake a massive new STEM redevelopment, which will be fantastic for young people in this state,” Labor leader Dean Winter said.
“So I welcome the premier taking this step.
“I’m really thankful that the government has seen sense, and I’m looking forward to debating the legislation, and if the legislation has these amendments that support housing and support jobs, then Labor will be backing them.”
The government wants to re-zone land above Churchill Avenue on the University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus. (ABC News: Kate Nickels)
The legislation is expected to be up for debate next week.
Nicholas Farrelly, University of Tasmania’s pro vice-chancellor for campus life in Southern Tasmania, welcomed the government’s announcement.
“If passed as proposed, it would enable the University to realise value from some of the land above Churchill Avenue to help fund new STEM facilities at Sandy Bay,” Professor Farrelly said.
“For the University, that’s what this is about; providing the new and upgraded STEM facilities that are vital for students, staff and the teaching and research we do for Tasmania.”
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