Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has endorsed the University of Tasmania’s vision to relocate its campus to Inveresk, saying it was important to integrate it with the city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After signing a memorandum of understanding in Launceston on Thursday to deliver funding for the $150 million campus relocation, Mr Turnbull said UTAS would play a role in northern Tasmania’s economic fortunes.
“Increasingly universities are being used as, frankly, as drivers of economic growth because so much of your growth is based around innovation, [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], education, all of that and the integration and collaboration between universities and business,” he said.
“So that integration is very important and of course it’s a lot easier to do that if your university is in the heart of the city and has a porous campus as opposed to being miles out of town.
Increasingly universities are being used as drivers of economic growth.
- Malcolm Turnbull
“I think [UTAS vice-chancellor] Peter Rathjen has absolutely got the vision right, and so has your lord mayor [Albert van Zetten].
“In a sense what he’s doing is bringing the people back into the city again. We have to some extent in many cities forgotten that cities are built for people.”
Meanwhile Mr Turnbull said he was sure an arrangement would be reached to address the ongoing uncertainty surrounding which Tasmanian Liberal senator would base himself on the North-West.
“Tasmania is a big state … It’s not dominated by one capital city in the way other states are.
“It is important to have a spread of representation but the Tasmanian senators and the party I’m sure will come to a satisfactory and workable arrangement.”
Speaking for the first time in Tasmania since the three Liberal MHRs known as the ‘three amigos’ were wiped out at the federal election, he said the party would miss its colleagues.
“They were great local members but it is the people’s choice, so we will honour all our commitments to Tasmania.”