War of words over future of Hobart’s Elizabeth St Pier

Labor and the Greens have called on the Government to consult with Tasmanians before selling off Hobart’s Elizabeth Street Pier to help fund development at Macquarie Point.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein on Monday announced the government would put the pier – home to several restaurants, a convention centre and an apartment hotel – on the market early next year.

Gutwein says he does not have a price in mind but that he believes there is no better time to sell given the boom in the state’s property market.

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The proceeds will be used to partly offset the $140 million cost of moving the sewerage treatment plant at Macquarie Point.

“It seems incongruous that the State Government of Tasmania would actually own effectively a hotel on the waterfront,” Gutwein says.

“We believe the proceeds of this sale will underpin significant investment into the Mac Point site and importantly to help us remove the wastewater treatment plant and also will provide investment into the cultural and arts spaces.”

The announcement was welcomed by Macquarie Point Redevelopment Corporation chief executive Mary Massina, MONA owner David Walsh and DarkLab creative director Leigh Carmichael.

The sewerage works at Macquarie Point.

The latter men were involved in MONA’s vision for the Mac Point site.

“The minister has given us his assurance that any residential development will be managed judiciously, and that he and his government are seeking to advance, not compromise, that vision.”

But Opposition infrastructure spokesman David O’Byrne says serious questions remain about the decision to sell the pier.

“This Government lacks transparency. They were clear with the Tasmanian people that they didn’t need to sell public assets and now they’re selling public assets,” O’Byrne says.

“This is a government that’s in panic mode.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor suggests Gutwein “set up Tas Inc Real Estate … and let the world know he’s selling Tasmania’s public assets”.

“Unfortunately, it’s the people of Tasmania who, every time the Liberals flag they’re going to sell a public asset, are given no say, no voice, and at the end of the day, these places belong to the people of Tasmania and the people of Tasmania should be part of the conversation,” O’Connor says.

This article from The Mercury originally appeared as “Call for public input on the sale of the Elizabeth Street Pier”.