Ms O'CONNOR - Premier, I just want to ask you a question as the Greens member for Clark. The Government wants to build a fifth lane on the Southern Outlet having underinvested in sustainable transport solutions for eight years. As a consequence, at least a dozen houses would be compulsorily acquired. These are people's homes. There's a strong feeling among Dynnyrne residents that they were not consulted, they'd been given no choices. Is your Government absolutely committed to building another white elephant lane on the Southern Outlet? Why aren't you looking at other options to ease congestion, like park and ride, more bus services that don't displace people and increase congestion?
Mr GUTWEIN - We will obviously need a combination of park and ride and additional bus services, which we are considering at the moment. I had the benefit of a conversation with Dominic Perrottet, the New South Wales Treasurer, a number of years ago about broader city planning. At that time there was consideration being given for a range of different options to better manage traffic through and around Hobart. He said, without commenting on any particular plan: 'I wish that 25 years ago Sydney had taken the steps to improve our traffic network. You've got one opportunity now. As your city grows it will become more difficult'.
With that dozen to16 houses it is very concerning for the people involved. We will do everything we can to treat them appropriately and sensitively and fairly. The one thing I know is that we are going to see an increase in our population. We will see an increase in cars on our road and we need to be able to manage that.
Ms O'CONNOR - So you're absolutely locked into the fifth lane on the Southern Outlet even though it's arguably going to be a white elephant.
Mr GUTWEIN - What we have to ensure is that the throughput through the city is dealt with appropriately as well. The minister is engaged in discussions on what steps to take there.
We need to take a 25-year view. I know how difficult it is for those people and their homes. When you look at the challenges that have been faced by growing capital cities on the mainland, the hundreds of properties that have had to be acquired in Melbourne or Sydney at regular intervals because they didn't take the hard decisions 25 years ago, we need to make those decisions now.