CRADLE CABLE
Labor pledges $30 million to mountain tourism plan
LABOR will throw in $30 million to get a proposed Cradle Mountain cableway project up and running if it wins majority government at the coming state election.
The cableway has been identified by Tasmania’s peak tourism body as a “game changer” and is a key part of the $160m Cradle Mountain Masterplan released last year to drastically upgrade visitor facilities.
At the party’s Braddon campaign launch yesterday Labor leader Rebecca White, right, announced the policy, which forms the centrepiece of Labor’s bid to win seats in the NorthWest electorate at the state election in March next year.
“Progress on the redevelopment has been frustratingly slow at a time when the North-West needs signifi- cant investment in infrastructure,” Ms White said.
“Labor is determined to see the masterplan become a reality with estimates it could attract an additional 60,000 visitors a year to Cradle Mountain.”
However, the cableway would rely on the Federal Government matching the $30 million commitment before it could become a reality.
The State Government has committed about $22 million to infrastructure at Cradle Mountain, including for the construction of a new visitor centre at Dove Lake.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said the new visitor centre would be compromised without transport to Dove Lake being addressed.
“From our perspective, the real game changer is the cableway, both in terms of a longterm sustainable transport solution for the park, but more so about actually doing something that is genuinely world leading and the vision of making Cradle Mountain the best national park experience in Australia,” Mr Martin said.
He said he believed $30 million would be enough of a commitment from the State Government towards the $60 million project.
“The reality is this is a world heritage area, the Australian Government has the responsibility to invest in its world heritage areas,” he said.
Kentish Mayor Don Thwaites said his council would welcome government investment in the Cradle Mountain area.
“With and without a cableway, the visitor numbers are vastly different, with a cableway there are predicted to be a lot more visitors, but there are a number of planning hurdles to be ticked off yet,” Cr Thwaite said.
“Visitor numbers are increasing . . . but with the cableway visitor numbers make a quantum jump into the next bracket of figures.”
Ms White announced the policy alongside Braddon can- didates Shane Broad, Anita Dow, Danielle Kidd, Wayne Roberts and Themba Bulle at the campaign launch.
Dennis Mullins was previously announced as a candidate for the party in Braddon, but has since withdrawn.
The Liberal Party announced yesterday plumber Felix Ellis would join its ticket in Braddon, running alongside MPs Joan Rylah, Adam Brooks, Roger Jaensch and Jeremy Rockliff.