SECRET TICK FOR CABLE CAR DRILLS

SECRET TICK: Paves way for ‘destructive’ activities

THE Government has prepared a permit that would allow the company behind the Mt Wellington cable car proposal to drill up to 32 sites on the mountain.

The document awaiting Minister Peter Gutwein’s signature would authorise the company to conduct “destructive” activities such as cutting vegetation and “remove, relocate and break up” boulders.

It would also be allowed to “take and remove” flora and fauna samples.

TASMANIA’S Government has prepared a permit that would allow the company behind the Mt Wellington cable car proposal to drill up to 32 sites in the mountain’s protected reserve.

The document awaiting State Growth Minister Peter Gutwein’s signature is an authority that will pave the way for the Mt Wellington Cableway Company to conduct the surveys necessary for it to write a development application for the proposed kunanyi/Mt Wellington cable car.

The authority, seen by the Mercury, shows the Government is considering giving the company permission to: CONDUCT “destructive” authorised activities — as long as it gives at least five business days’ notice to Mr Gutwein. “TAKE AND REMOVE flora and fauna” samples as deemed “reasonably necessary”. HELICOPTER in a drilling rig to conduct bore drilling across 32 sites, including in front of the Organ Pipes. USE A DRONE to conduct a flora and fauna survey. SPEND up to 60 days conduct- ing such authorised activities.

The authority defined “destructive” activities as the deliberate cutting or crushing of vegetation, and/or the removal, relocation, breaking up or drilling of rocks or boulders.

The planned drilling will allow the company to take rock and soil samples.

Mr Gutwein said yesterday he had not yet granted access

to land within Wellington Park.

Questions on restrictions around the clearing of vegetation in the park and how the activities would be monitored were not answered. Mr Gut- wein said: “As is a part of the legislated process, I am currently consulting with the Wellington Park Management Trust in relation to access to land that is within Wellington Park.”

Residents Opposed to the Cable Car spokesman Ted Cutlan accused the Government of giving the project’s developers “a carte blanche permit to hack out forest and alpine vegetation” for the drilling activities.

“MWCC don’t need to do any level of environmental impact assessment,” Mr Cutlan said. “All they have to do is tell the minister five days before they start their destruction and get the chainsaws, helicopters and drilling rigs fired up.

“Minister Gutwein should hang his head in shame at this display of arrogance, attempted secrecy and contempt for the place that we all love.”

Hobart resident against the cable car Phil Stigant said the public had been blindsided.

“It’s deeply concerning that it appears deals are being done behind closed doors,” he said.

“If our state ministers are going to make regulations it should be above board and out in the public, but instead this seems to be a back room decision with private stakeholders.”

Mt Wellington Cableway Company declined to comment because it had not yet seen the proposed permit.

Mr Gutwein this week signed off on approvals to give the developers access to land owned by the Hobart City Council outside of Wellington Park. That permit overruled a council decision made last year to block the company from conducting a flora and fauna survey on the land.

Announcing the signing of that authority earlier this week, Mr Gutwein said he anticipated granting access to Wellington Park land “in the near future”.

The Government is strongly supportive of the cable car.