In an extraordinary stuff-up to top off a shocking year in parliament the Liberals have failed to progress their Development Assessment Panel legislation through the upper house.

This is legislation that would have helped get more houses built and more Tasmanians into safe, secure, well-paid jobs.

Make no mistake, this legislation has failed because of the Premier’s over-the-top attack on local government.

“Frankly I’m not interested in mayors that have self-interest, of course, and grandstanding” the Premier said about the Greater Hobart mayors who voiced their concerns about the Liberals’ ham-fisted approach to consultation.

If the Premier is capable of any level of self-reflection he will surely be regretting his approach to this legislation.

The Liberals claimed that DAPs would take the politics out of planning, but by playing bad politics on the issue they have completely stuffed another thing up, and Tasmanian jobs will suffer because of it.

Shane Broad MP
Shadow Minister for Planning
Shadow Minister for Building & Construction