Tarkine 'tourist' road

In 2008 Forestry Tasmania proposed the construction of a loop road through the Tarkine rainforest wilderness in North-West Tasmania.

With the electorate of Braddon crucial to the re-election prospects of the government -- especially following controversies that have embroiled two Ministers -- Bartlett decided to allocate funding for the Tarkine road. Chief political reporter for the Mercury, Sue Neales observed in February 2009 that Bartlett "is spending every day he can in the North-West, bestowing small project and festival grants wherever he travels. He handed out $23 million for a tourist road through the Tarkine forest that the tourism industry does not want, the state cannot afford and which only appears to have as its cynical purpose the turning of local political sentiment against the Greens and back to Labor."

The Tasmanian government have defended the proposal claiming that "the proposal involves a 127 kilometre bitumen road, skirting the Tarkine from Wynyard on the North Coast through to Arthur River on the West Coast, to complete a tourist loop road to Smithton and Stanley. Most of the drive already exists 116 kilometres of gravel roads and tracks, and 18 kilometres of existing bitumen road. Only 5.4 kilometres of new road is required to link the existing gravel road sections. The Tarkine Drive will provide greater opportunities for visitors to access a number of iconic attractions in the region. The redevelopment will include nature trails, visitor facilities and interpretive services at key sites."

2009 Tasmanian budget
In the 2009/2010 budget, in which the Bartlett government stated that 800 public service jobs would be axed to meet financial targets, also committed the government to funding of the road. The budget papers stated that "funding of $23.0 million was allocated in 2008-09 over four years for the establishment of the Tarkine Drive ... It is anticipated that the development will deliver significant economic and community benefits to the region. It is estimated that $8.8 million of the $23.0 million allocation will be spent during 2009-10, with the project to be completed by 2012."

The budget also indicated that a further $12.2 million had been earmarked for the project in 2010/11 and another $1.175 million in 2011/2012.

Quotable Quotes

 * "Forestry Tasmania will not make a brass razoo out of this $23 million Tarkine drive, in fact it will lose access to some 650 hectares of forest that would otherwise be available for harvesting, so this is really a community service by Forestry Tasmania."

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * David Bartlett

External Articles

 * Cassy O'Connor MP, "MInister Backs Forestry's Ill Considered tarkine Road": $23 Million Would Be Far Better Invested in More Sensible and Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure", Media Release, September 25, 2008.
 * Michelle Paine, "More Tarkine road opposition", The Mercury, November 17, 2008.
 * Senator Bob Brown, "Senate calls for Tarkine Road funding check", Media Release, December 1st 2008.
 * David Bartlett, "Go-Ahead For Tarkine Tourist Road", Media Release, February 4, 2009.
 * "Opinions divided over Tarkine loop road", ABC News, February 4, 2009.
 * "Circular Head welcomes Tarkine road decision", The Examiner, February 4, 2009.
 * Helen Kempton, "Critics attack Tarkine road", The Mercury, February 4, 2009.
 * Matthew Denholm, "Outrage over approval for Tarkine road", The Australian, February 5, 2009.
 * The Wilderness Society, "Tarkine Road, Upper Florentine logging – Bartlett cultivating conflict at a cost to community, environment and coffers", Media Release, February 4, 2009.
 * Matthew Denholm, "Tarkine road would spell death for the Tasmanian devil, says expert", The Australian, February 16, 2009.
 * "Tarkine road to ruin, warns devil expert", ABC News, February 17, 2009.
 * "Tarkine road no danger to devils: Govt", February 16, 2009.
 * Michael Stedman, "Tarkine brochure angers Libs", The Mercury, June 25, 2009.