State Growth Minister Peter Gutwein has defended attacks by Labor and the Greens for approving work on the controversial Mount Wellington cable car three days before the state election was called.
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Mr Gutwein said the works would inform the DA (development application) which would be submitted to the Hobart City Council for approval.
“These are minor administrative approvals,” Mr Gutwein said.
“There is nothing sinister about this – I followed the Act.
“The Act passed by both houses of Parliament provided the opportunity for this project to be submitted as a DA to the Hobart City Council and to go through the normal planning processes.
“This is a great project.”
Labor Treasury spokesman Scott Bacon said it was clear that the government did not want details of the approval released before the election.
“The cable car is a hot issue and allowing drilling and other work on the mountain is a significant development,” Mr Bacon said.
“The government would have been aware of the huge public interest in this decision but tried to bury it.
“For Premier Will Hodgman to say he was “not aware” defies belief.”
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor accused the government of secrecy.
“It is a sneaky and dishonest act on the part of the Liberals,” Ms O’Connor said.
“The Liberals have a tendency towards secrecy unlike any government I’ve seen before.
“It is an appalling breach of public faith and trust but it is hardly surprising.”
Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath confirmed the government approved the work on Mount Wellington, including drilling and surveying three days before the election was called.
“The council was advised by correspondence from the Minister for State Growth dated 25 January 2018, that the state government had issued the Wellington Cable Car Company an authority to enter land on kunany/Mount Wellington for the purposes of surveys and site assessments.”