The Greens have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest regarding the Hobart stadium proposal, pointing out that the Macquarie Point Development Corporation will both propose and assess the project.
Vica Bayley says the MPDC, which is responsible for the project, is also the author of the planning guidelines for the site.
He said his party’s gripe is not with the Planning Commission but the role of the MPDC moving forward.
“This is a reflection on the fact that the Macquarie Point Development Corporation, as confirmed in correspondence from the Premier, will be both the proponent of the stadium project and the author of the plan against which it is to be assessed,” Bayley said.
“You would think it would be in the interests of the Rockliff government to run as robust and as rigorous process as possible, but we have the situation where the Macquarie Point Development Corporation are writing the exam just before they’re about to sit it.”
Bayley believes that this ‘conflict of interest and bias’ could erode confidence in the assessment process.
“This is perverse, and the community will rightly find it disturbing.”
“If you build a house, you don’t get to tell your local council the rules they have to use for your planning application.”
But the government insists that the assessment process is independent and that the MPDC has followed the appropriate guidelines.
“The Greens don’t support the stadium. Shock horror, everyone knows that,” Minister Felix Ellis said.
“We’re about delivering the stadium. We’re about delivering an AFL team for Tasmania because it’s going to be an amazing opportunity.”
A government spokesperson said the process is “independent” and run by the Tasmanian Planning Commission at arm’s-length from Government.
Public consultation on the project’s draft assessment guidelines closed yesterday, with the Stadium Project of State Significance to ultimately require final approval from parliament.
