The Tasmanian government's Major Projects bill is a developer's dream but a local person's nightmare says the Wilderness Society.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Submissions on the draft bill, which seeks to streamline the approval process for developments and create a new panel to assess major projects, close on Friday.
Wilderness Society campaign manager Tom Allen questioned why the bill covered World Heritage land, national parks and public reserves.
"Why would you want major project legislation to cover such special and pristine places unless you intend to develop them?" Mr Allen said.
"Major project laws should offer stronger not weaker environmental protections but this bill doesn't."
Related stories:
He said the bill also silenced community input on developments.
"The bill does away with appeal rights, so that the public can't appeal poor decisions, and input from local councils, who are blocked from having a say on projects in their areas, and gives the planning minister virtually unchecked powers to declare pretty much anything a major project," Mr Allen said.
"The bill is an answer to a non-existent problem because major projects can already proceed through the existing planning scheme."
But Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler said for Australia to bounce back strongly from coronavirus every jurisdiction should be looking at whether their laws were enabling investment in major projects.
Not commenting specifically on the Tasmanian government's bill but speaking generally about major projects to the Senate on Wednesday evening, Senator Chandler said if a jurisdiction's laws empowered minority groups to prevent major projects and job creation those laws should be changed.
"Australia must recalibrate its thinking on how we attract and encourage new business and industry," Senator Chandler said.
"The laws and bureaucracies in this country give far too many weapons to these minorities to hold up and prevent major projects.
"In Tasmania, we are all too familiar with the efforts of this minority to oppose any major industry or development.
"They oppose fish farming, forestry, tourism, mining, urban development, heavy industry, energy developments including wind farms - the list is endless - and the message that is sent to people who want to start a business is disastrous for Tasmanians, who just want to be able to have good jobs so that they can provide for their families."
Senator Chandler said Australia should also be looking at its agricultural potential and becoming as self-sufficient as possible as the nation recovers economically from COVID-19.