Walk into the landscape
SIMON Bevilacqua’s “Walk into the landscape” article ( Mercury, July 21) draws attention to the extraordinary opportunity private land offers tourists and locals with a mind to explore countryside. An example of this is my family’s East Coast farm, south of Orford. It provides scenic attractions, with vegetation from rainforest to coastal bluegum forest, up to hilltop views extending from Freycinet Peninsula, through Mercury Passage, south to Forestier Peninsula, down to two beaches locked by private land — all in a day’s walk.
The Forest Practices Authority has deemed it swift parrot habitat, which means we can’t farm it. Subject to constraints on development that would impact on the swift parrot population, the land would now support a restricted tourist venture such as Simon suggests. From the visitors’ perspectives, any limit to numbers would add to the appeal. Thus we are in a position to help change the model and stop funnelling tourists to overrun “destinations” as Simon proposes.
Where the problem lies for landowners is there is not an automatic cash flow for farmers. The notion of “standing camps on farms with amazing views”, quite feasible in our instance, implies investment and administrative costs, beyond the resources of most. If there is a fiscal benefit to be derived, it would need to be channelled through trained eco-tourist operators funded by private or public investment.
From the Government’s view, these ventures, on private land, escape the myriad objections that expansion of development of eco-tourism ventures brings with it in national parks and Crown land.
Because of the Royal Commission into banks, the banks are starting to reconsider how much they will lend borrowers. This will lead to cases where banks will not lend to you to buy that house. If the bank has lent you the money, you may find in 12 months’ time that your house has dropped in value.
Do not listen to the real estate firms as they always say there are better times ahead.
Inner city high
SHOULD the UTAS STEM faculty development in the CBD not proceed, the Education Department might consider buying the site to build a state-of-the-art inner city high school that could incorporate a STEM learning centre of excellence for years 9-12. An on-site gymnasium would need to be included for indoor sports but other sporting activities could be catered for in the Doone Kennedy Aquatic Centre, tennis centre, athletics centre and sports grounds on the Domain. A rooftop garden would provide space for outdoor seating and congregation areas and a large underground carpark, generating much-needed revenue, could cater for the high school staff and parents who work in the CBD.
Future transport
I REFER to Peter Boyer’s Talking Point article ( Mercury, July 24).
Firstly, cities were meant to meet the needs of commerce, or strategic importance, or both. In Hobart’s case the former ceased with the end of whaling and the latter became irrelevant with introduction of steam ships no longer confined, unlike sailing ships, to the Great Circle route .
Secondly, the new transport strategy should deal with the future 20-30 years or so. Boyer ignores accelerating take up of electric cars, the inroads of artificial intelligence and the booming sharing economy. Instead, he advocates the expansion of 19th century transport models (buses, trains, bicycles and ferries), the very models eschewed by the majority (79 per cent commute by car and 61 per cent living in the city travel by cars). Why? Because these models do not meet 21st century needs of commuters and will not in the future.
Thirdly, Boyer assumes the need to work in the city by the masses will continue. Every indication is that artificial intelligence will replace the need for droves of office workers to be based in the city.
Fourthly, in planning for the future one needs to look at the technological and social change that is engulfing us and look to solutions that engage with that change, not stand there like King Canute, ordering back the tide of change.
More tape, not less
THE Hodgman Government was elected partly on a platform of doing away with red and green tape. A pillar of that platform is the Statewide Planning Scheme, which is embodied in the State Planning Reform booklet, which is available online. Rather than reducing red and green tape, it appears to have created one, and possibly two additional levels of bureaucracy, each with its own requirements above what had already existed.
It seems to have taken existing naming protocols and, without actually changing anything, requires councils to change names to suit the new framework.
If this is an example of how to get rid of red and green tape, leaving things as they are would be less confusing, less time- and effort-wasting and less expensive to the taxpayer.