Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Kunanyi/Mount Wellington is the heart and soul of Greater Hobart. Referred to by locals as 'The Mountain', it can be seen from many kilometres away and, along with the River Derwent, defines the city's very sense of place. The Organ Pipes in particular—120-metre columns of dolerite—are magnificent and are one of the most distinctive features. When sunlight hits them, the whole mountain glows. Ruining that site is just one of the reasons why the proposal to build a cable car across the Organ Pipes is such a bad proposal. The fact that it will have a significant and permanent impact on native vegetation and threatened species is another.

There's simply no way a 35-metre tower and a four-storey complex with restaurant, cafe and amphitheatre on top of the mountain can satisfy sensible environmental, economic and social planning criteria. Moreover, many of lutruwita/Tasmania's Aboriginal people strongly oppose the development as it will, potentially, desecrate spiritual and sacred places. This is a very important concern, and the fact that it's being paid so little attention is deeply shameful. The cable car proposal is now before Hobart City Council, and, frankly, it stinks every bit as much as the sewage that will be transported from the facility via tanks beneath the cable cars. Clearly this proposal should not be approved.