In Question Time today, Minister for State Growth, Matthew Groom, refused to rule out government interference to enable the proposed cable car on kunanyi/Mount Wellington, said Greens Member for Denison Cassy O’Connor MP.
“It has been confirmed by people who attended Monday night’s Hobart City Council meeting, which discussed the cable car, that an employee of Mr Groom’s own Department, State Growth, also attended in support of cable car proponent Mr Adrian Bold,” Ms O’Connor said.
“Minister Groom needs to detail the capacity in which that employee attended the meeting, and rule out any government interference on behalf of the proponent.”
“It is well known that Mr Groom and Mr Bold are personal friends. It is legitimate to ask how much support and comfort the Minister is giving his friend, a private developer who wants to build a cable car across the Organ Pipes.”
“Residents opposed to the cable car also believe that Minister Groom has put pressure on the Wellington Park Management Trust to actively support Mr Bold’s proposal. Is that the case?”
“Just how far is the Minister prepared to go to support his friend’s private development proposal?
“The community holds serious concerns that the Hodgman government may seek to over-ride the Hobart City Council and the Wellington Park Management Trust in order to facilitate this private development.”
“People deserve an unequivocal undertaking from Minister Groom that his department will remain strictly at arms length from the assessment process, and that the Wellington Park Management Trust will not be under any government pressure to change the Management Plan to facilitate Mr Bold’s proposal,” Ms O’Connor said.