There’s another big

As spotlight hits DEC plans, the Showground is gearing up for a redevelopment that will benefit whole community, says Richard Dax

THERE has been considerable hype over the future of the Derwent Entertainment Centre and its surrounds, Wilkinsons Point.

But that’s not the only major game in town. I am a board director of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania but writing from a purely personal perspective and as a private citizen. It is clear that agricultural shows need modernising to maintain the connections between rural and urban communities while maintaining the 200-year-old community heart and heritage of the Society. That process is under way at the Royal Hobart Show.

But pressures from such developments as proposed for the DEC and Wilkinsons Point bring more questions than answers, and that’s not helping the Society.

In addition, the Government’s wish for a new fire and ambulance station next to the Showground creates major issues during the Show. To combat this and remain relevant, the Royal Agricultural Society is undergoing a massive redevelopment program which will reinvent not only the Show itself but also provide a centre of excellence and leadership for agriculture.

The Society is one of the oldest institutions in Australia and the redevelopment will ensure its economic and social future while maintaining connection with its many communities. To this end, a multimillion-dollar building featuring Tasmania’s growing importance in niche agricultural products is envisaged, gathering the best of all our traditional livestock as well as wool, dairy, wine, distilling, and brewing together with small fruits, seeds, garlic, truffles, saffron and the like. This whole building can present all that is good in Tasmania over the whole 12 months of the year, as well as forming a centre attracting our growing tourism visitation. This unique specialist centre would form an almost amphitheatre focus for a planned housing development featuring a medium density of community housing properties as well as affordable accommodation, hospitality, retail and other services. This centre would include community and green areas, hospitality retail and other services.

Within these plans, the RAS could offer a central emergency relief centre including the housing of domestic animals – the need for which was so demonstrated during our Dunalley fires and the present horrific interstate fires.

The showgrounds plan is a holistic approach to agriculture and a burgeoning need for community in the northern suburbs. It is regretful that this approach could not have been taken by our decision makers for a wider good with the inclusion not only of the showgrounds but also Elwick Racecourse, the DEC and WP, Mona, King George oval and other council properties, thereby creating a world standard northern precinct.

I suggest that the present approach for the DEC and Wilkinsons Point is reminiscent of the Oceanport proposal of some years ago which was refused purely on the basis of public opinion and pressures based on the unwarranted handing over of public lands to private developers.

Thus far, the proposal for Wilkinsons Point has progressed without transparency or public input. It is obvious the entire development depends on significant public finance for a stadium originally built with taxpayer funds. What is particularly obscure is the detailed intentions for redevelopment of the remaining 9ha. We see a proponent asking for up to $30 million in taxpayer initial funding and thereafter an annual fee of $1.5 million to maintain a sports licence from a national competition owned by the DEC proponent.

Before any subsidy is considered, I think it would be reasonable to firstly recognise that the taxpayer has already paid for the DEC once and is now being asked to do so again. And what are the plans for the super valuable waterfront land of Wilkinsons Point — luxury apartments and five-star hotels?

I would acknowledge that these decisions are not easy for government but there are many other prior demands on the taxpayer such as establishment of an AFL team, health, affordable housing and protection of our wilderness areas. It also bears the question that if subsidies are to be awarded, then local developers and businesses should be given an equal opportunity to tender their interests and proposals.

I trust the council takes into consideration the $14 millionplus sale of the comparatively small real estate parcel on which the Bunnings store at the Showground sits, far removed from the prestige Wilkinsons Point waterside outlook.

The RAS is a staged redevelopment with completion of stage one due for release prior to Christmas. It offers a community-based socially inclusive continuation of a 200year-old history of cultural and community support. Should a DEC subsidy become a reality, the RAS well deserves the attention of decision makers on an equal footing to others if and when it comes to any mutually beneficial development. Richard Dax is a director of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania. He is a Lake St Clair tourism developer, a foundation director of Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania and a winner of the Minister’s Award for contribution to tourism.