Revelations that Hobart’s Macquarie Point Development Corporation has moved offices instead of delivering the once-in-a-generation redevelopment demonstrate the ineptitude of the Liberals when it comes to delivering the infrastructure Australia needs.
The only peep out of Prime Minister Morrison on this game-changing urban renewal project for Hobart has been to incorporate the Macquarie Point Redevelopment into his Hobart City Deal earlier this year.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King said Labor in Government delivered $50 million for the Macquarie Point redevelopment in 2012 to boost Hobart’s liveability and create new jobs.
“After five and a half years of Liberal Governments in Canberra and Hobart, Prime Minister Morrison and Premier Hodgman have failed to even produce a plan to redevelop the Macquarie Point site,” Ms King said.
“At a time when the RBA Governor is flagging the need for the Federal Government to fast track regional infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy, the five and a half years of Liberal inaction in Hobart gives us little hope they can get things moving anywhere,” Ms King said.
Shadow Minister for Cities and Urban Infrastructure Andrew Giles highlighted that time is running out for the Federal Government to even deliver its Hobart City Deal Implementation Plan within the agreed timeframe.
“Minister Tudge has less than a week to meet his own six month deadline to release the Hobart City Deal Implementation Plan,” Mr Giles said.
“When it was announced earlier this year, stakeholders criticised the Hobart City Deal as falling short of what is required with scant detail and missed opportunities,” Mr Giles said.
Shadow Assistant Minister for Tasmania Senator Carol Brown said the Liberals in Canberra and Hobart needed to get to work on Macquarie Point and the Hobart City Deal.
“After six months, Tasmanians will rightly expect the City Deal Implementation Plan will actually flesh out the details and include hard deadlines for projects like Macquarie Point,” Senator Brown said.
“The Liberals are well advised to take this opportunity to turn around their terrible record of forgetting Southern Tasmania,” Senator Brown said.