The Tasmanian government has been accused of “deception” after supporting the University of Tasmania’s plan to sell some of its land at Sandy Bay for a future housing development. But the government insists it hasn’t deviated from its original plan to have parliament decide on the future of the campus.
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00:00During this year's election campaign the Liberals promised to put limits on the University of Tasmania's plan to move from Sandy Bay to Hobart's CBD.
00:12UTAS can still move into the city, but to sell or indeed lease the land will have to have approval of both Houses of Parliament.
00:21UTAS has now scaled back its city move and instead wants to build a major science and technology hub at its existing campus,
00:30paid for by the Federal Government and the sale of some of its land at Sandy Bay, something the Tasmanian Government is keen to support.
00:38And this is how we afford it, so I'd really like to encourage everybody who cares about education, cares about Tasmania, cares about our University to try and get on board with this proposal.
00:49Under proposed amendments to a bill already before Parliament, two parcels of University land above Churchill Avenue would be re-zoned as inner residential,
00:59allowing the future sale and development of the sites without the requirement for further Parliamentary approval.
01:06The sale of any other University land would still require both Houses of Parliament to agree. Labor says it's the right approach.
01:16We're in a housing crisis and looking to re-zone land like this means that more Tasmanians can get into a home,
01:24that homes become more affordable and that we can support the University to undertake a massive new STEM redevelopment.
01:31But the proposed carve out of the two parcels of land has infuriated some.
01:37It's a deception, it's something that the community hasn't been consulted about, it goes against what the community voted for at the last election.
01:47I just would like to again suggest that it is the policy we've taken to the election, but I appreciate that we have brought the two pieces together at the same time.
01:56UTAS has welcomed the proposed amendments, which will be voted on next week.