Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens' Marine Environment spokesperson
East Coast residents will now have the time to provide detailed comments on a controversial jetty proposal in Triabunna, thanks to the Tasmanian Planning Commission's decision to uphold land use planning laws.
The Commission refused to make a ruling on Tassal’s plans for shore-based infrastructure attached to the controversial Okehampton Bay fish farm lease proceeding.
Laws require two instances of advertising for public comment about a development. The Glamorgan Spring Bay Council failed to exhibit the plans correctly, only advertising once.
The community has accused Council of rushing the development application through to suit the business timeframes and interests of Tassal. The residents have been left in the dark, and without an opportunity to have their say.
If Tassal wants to proceed with shore-based infrastructure for their lease, they need to resubmit their application to Council. This is anticipated to take another six months to process, which gives the community more time to voice their concerns.
East Coast residents have had to fight to make their voices heard about this contentious proposal. Minister Rockliff has been deaf to their concerns, and locked them out of the Okehampton Bay Review.
Despite being in a pristine fishing, diving and tourism area, the impact of industrial-scale fish farming on Okehampton Bay was never assessed as part of the expansion approval process.
Minister Rockliff has refused to listen to residents' views on this controversial expansion so far, and didn't attend the public meeting in Triabunna last week. Given the growing community anger, he would do well to start listening now.