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Demolition disgraceful

he scofflaw demolition of a heritage home at Mt Stuart on Sunday is an outrageous affront and a direct challenge to our planning authorities. Knocking over a building more than 120 years old on a Sunday, without permission, heedless of the potential risk from asbestos and a live power connection and in defiance of a stop-work order is a type of behaviour fortunately seldom seen in Hobart.

It brings to mind the worst excesses of developers interstate, in particular the recent demolition of Melbourne’s much-loved Corkman Irish Pub in somewhat similar circumstances. In that case, authorities have been swift to act and the developers are facing stiff fines and an order to rebuild.

Although there have been some regrettable setbacks throughout the city’s expansion, orderly development is something that has helped Hobart to retain the ability to charm the visitor and the local alike. We live in a human-scale city, an inherently liveable place where neighbours know each other and where strangers pass in the street with a wave or a smile. It is a place where a sense of community still exists and is embedded not only in the memories of successive generations but in the bricks and mortar of our built environment, the wrought iron and the weatherboard and the footpaths, garden fences and backyard trees and the familiar landmarks of passing generations which hold places in our hearts.

This was Jack Bone’s old house. The war veteran lived here before he fought with 2/40th and it was where he returned after three years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

The scar that now exists in the middle of their community will no doubt serve as a reminder of the things most of us value

Jack died aged 97 in August last year, one of the last survivors of a proud Tasmanian battalion, a stalwart of the community known for sharing his tomato seedlings with his neighbours.

A little bit of our heritage has gone, part of our rich story exists now only in memories and photographs.

Tasmanians are gently proud of their communities and passionate in their defence, and rightly so. An incident like Sunday’s demolition is an attack not only on one community but signifies the risk to all. It is a test for the law and should be dealt with swiftly and harshly so the perpetrators do not profit from their arrogant and selfish actions. An immediate cleanup of the site and lengthy ban on any development on the site would be a good start. And should it be found that asbestos has been released in the demolition, the grave risk that poses to the community demands that a strong message be sent.

Equally importantly, the response must ensure that such an incident is not repeated. Given Hobart’s property boom, now is a good time for state and local government to revisit the laws and regulations to make sure the penalties are sufficient to outweigh the windfalls that the unscrupulous might try to gain by trying to do an end-run around the law.

For the residents of Mt Stuart who watched in anger and disgust as Sunday’s events played out, the scar that now exists in the middle of their community will no doubt serve for some time as a reminder of the things most of us value and how sometimes we don’t realise until they are gone how much we appreciate them. It’s now up to the Hobart City Council and the other relevant authorities to underscore that sentiment with strong action.

Cowboy developers are not welcome here.