Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson
A large and growing constituency of Tasmanians from all walks of life are opposed to the privatization of the State’s protected public lands, including the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The poster child of the Liberals’ EOI process is Halls Island in Lake Malbena.
The Reserve Activity Assessment (RAA) for the luxury helicopter tourism operation at Halls Island, which was leaked to the Greens last year, states the proponent will spend a projected $500 000 on the project.
We now have an additional leaked internal Parks briefing note indicating the proposal is a $6.97 million investment - on a tiny island inside the TWWHA.
There’s a massive difference, that needs explaining, between what the Commonwealth was told in the RAA and what this leaked Parks briefing reveals.
This is more evidence of a stitched-up Reserve Activity Assessment process that manipulated the facts in order to approve projects for political purposes.
What are Mr Hackett and his mystery backers actually planning for Halls Island? What does the almost $7 million buy in the publicly-owned World Heritage Area?
Predictably, the Parks Minister, Roger Jaensch, refused to answer the question, feigning ignorance. Tasmanians know how much they can trust Minister Jaensch.
Under the terms of the Halls Island proposal lease and license, people can be arrested for trespass inside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
The Liberals have effectively given an entire island in the World Heritage Area to Daniel Hackett, a private developer, for $80.00 a week. It’s little wonder Tasmanians are furious and don’t trust this government with their public protected areas.
This leaked briefing note rings alarm bells for the Greens, but the question remains unanswered by Roger Jaensch - what’s being planned for Lake Malbena?
