TASMANIA’S Co-ordinator-General says there is $1 billion in business in the pipeline for the state – including a significant expansion for a major Northern employer.
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Launceston-based John Perry said the government was close to announcing a deal that would strengthen the Northern economy and secure jobs, but stopped just short of a big reveal.
The Examiner understands an announcement is imminent.
Last month Mr Perry was criticised for a perceived lack of action and accessibility, with political opponents questioning the effectiveness of a Co-ordinator-General.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green accused Mr Perry of failing to act on Caterpillar’s departure from Burnie, and also called for more transparency from the Co-ordinator-General’s office, claiming that ‘‘nobody actually knows what it is doing’’.
Mr Perry insisted he had been been anything but static since his appointment in January.
‘‘What I can say is that we are working on a range of projects, the value being around about $1 billion if they were all to come off,’’ he said.
‘‘I would say I probably meet with four or five stakeholders – with six or seven people in a group – [each] day since I’ve started.
‘‘Although I’m from Tasmania, and I came back regularly during the 15 years away, it takes a while to form a picture of what the opportunities are, who is playing in this space, what new ideas are coming up.’’
In March, Mr Perry was part of Premier Will Hodgman’s business delegation to China, while he also joined University of Tasmania representatives in the US to seek opportunities to build on international student numbers.
Mr Perry said he was working through stage 2 of the National Parks and Reserves tourism expressions of interest process with 25 proponents, with the next phase to begin around or after August.