Some of us aren’t trying to work here

Parks and recreation

Nick Duigan is the busiest man in state government right now. Lots of good and great news stories. Saving threatened species on Macquarie Island. Signing cable deals with the still to be signed Marinus Link project. Investing $1.6b in Hydro infrastructure.

What Nick doesn’t want you to see is the screw up over whether Robbins Island‘s windfarm is actually compliant with the state’s planning laws.

Despite being in government for 10 years, the ruling party still hasn’t cleaned up the laws around the Land Use Planning Act.

The Validation (State Costal Policy) Bill is meant to have it all sorted. Wrong.

Since 2003 there may be schemes passed that are now illegal. Which leaves things in limbo and open to challenge, and pretty much leaving the Robbins Island Wind Farm open to further delays.

Not that Nick is unhappy with delays.

Take for example Marinus Link. The project won’t get signed off until next year now, at the earliest. $130m of Tasmanian money has been spent with zero return. No need to rush these things.

But at least he’s quick to pull down the Divo at Beauty Point, despite pleas from residents, conservationists and heritage experts.

TT Lines and TasPorts

If only TT Lines and TasPorts could talk to one another and deliver bad news to Michael Ferguson, laments Michael Ferguson. 

Despite being in charge of both of these state run companies, Deputy Premier Ferguson has told a parliamentary inquiry that TasPorts haven’t been speaking to TT Lines about the size and scale of their new ships.

Imagine if we had a Minister capable of getting two people into the same room!

The Treasurer also stated that TT Lines haven’t been speaking to TasPorts about when the ships will be ready. Nobody knows nothing. He certainly knows nothing. And he ain’t asking. That way, there’s no way anything could come back and make him accountable for this screw up.