Tasmanian community overwhelmingly rejects proposed retrospective changes to State Coastal Policy

With just over 400 submissions made in the briefest of public comment periods, 97% of submissions received by the Tasmanian Government were opposed to the proposed retrospective changes to the State Coastal Policy.

A total of 387 submissions, 268 from members of the public and 19 from community groups statewide indicated their clear and unambiguous opposition to the Validation (State Coastal Policy) Bill 2024 tabled in State Parliament on 7 August. Many of the submissions included personal anecdotes and statements on the personal connections people have with the Tasmanian coast.

Just three submissions in support of the legislation were received; the remaining 10 submissions were neutral. Of the 24 coastal Councils in Tasmania, just two made submissions. Clarence Council offered only qualified support, while Kingborough Council was neutral.

“Just one Council provided conditional support for the proposed changes to the State Coastal Policy, strongly undermining the claims made by the Minister of a multitude of coastal infrastructures subject to legal uncertainty” Dr Eric Woehler OAM, Co-convenor of the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Coastal Society said. “Clearly, the remaining coastal Councils just don’t see the need for this retrospective legislation” he claimed.

“The Planning Matters Alliance of Tasmania calls on the Tasmanian Government to listen to the community and scrap the Validation Bill – there is clearly no support for this bill” Sophie Underwood, State Director of the Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania said. “In its flawed and a truncated public comment process, the Tasmanian Government received over 400 submissions - with the overwhelming majority opposed” she added.

"The Validation Bill seeks to go back in time and change the rules to suit a developer, wreaking havoc on other parts of Tasmania's coastline. The community can see straight through this rort, as demonstrated in the extraordinary number of submissions made opposing the bill. Not even 1% of submissions made support this bill" Rebecca Howarth, Environment Tasmania’s Marine Campaigner noted.

"The Tasmanian community has expressed its near unanimous opposition to the proposed Validation (State Coastal Policy) Act, with no individuals and just three business organisations expressing support. Unsurprisingly, the State government ignored this vehement statement of opposition from the public submissions, tabling a nearly identical bill in the Parliament only three business days after submissions closed" Peter McGlone, Director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust noted.

"The Premier’s Second Reading of the bill, uploaded to the Parliamentary website on the 6 August, did not mention that 400 submissions were received. We hope that the Parliament does not rush to vote on the legislation and gives the bill and the 400 public submissions the attention and respect they deserve” he added.

Media contacts:

Peter McGlone, CEO, Tasmanian Conservation Trust 0406 380 545

Sophie Underwood, State Director, Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania 0407 501 999

Rebecca Howarth, Environment Tasmania’s Marine Campaigner 0493 395 868

Dr Eric J Woehler OAM, Co-convenor, Australian Coastal Society (Tasmania) 0438 204 565