Elise Archer MP

More than 12 months to get planning approval for a development is not “open for business”.

It is unacceptable that the $900 million Paranville Development, that is expected to create up to 1000 jobs, has been held-up for the past 12 months simply because of the Green-Labor planning mess.

Only last week we saw the potential loss of a $100 million Buddhist Centre development in southern Tasmania because of an outdated planning system; and the Parliament Square project has faced innumerable delays.

The State simply can’t afford any more of these costly delays.

We have developers ready to invest money in Tasmania, yet our messy and expensive planning system is holding them back – eventually they will go elsewhere, if not already.

We need to be encouraging positive development such as Paranville, not continually throwing up as many hurdles as possible.

That is why the Liberals’ have already outlined how, in Government, we would implement a single state-wide planning scheme that would get rid of the current 36 planning schemes and also disallow frivolous third-party appeals, as part of our vision to make Tasmania a self-reliant state.

Tasmania needs positive developments like this to proceed so that we can hang up the ‘open for business’ sign – but under Labor and the Greens, projects will continue to be delayed and investors will continue to be frightened off by needlessly complicated and outdated planning laws.

Elise Archer MP
Shadow Minister for Planning
Thursday 2 February, 2012

Tasmania could miss out on a $100 million Buddhist temple development simply because of an outdated and complicated planning system.

We need to be encouraging development such as this, not continuing to throw up as many hurdles as possible.

There is no doubt that this development would deliver many social, cultural and economic benefits to the State that simply cannot be ignored.

But it is easy to see why development is stalling when the state’s planning system is in such a mess.

That is why, in government, the Liberals’ would implement a single state-wide planning scheme that would get rid of the current 36 planning schemes and also disallow frivolous third-party appeals, as part of our vision to make Tasmania a self-reliant state.

This would remove the complexity and uncertainty within the planning process, as well as make Tasmania a more attractive place to do business.

But instead of adopting our sensible plan, we are seeing Labor and the Greens sending investment elsewhere.

Tasmania needs positive developments like this to proceed so that we can hang out the ‘open for business’ sign – but under the Green-Labor Government, projects will continue to be delayed and investors will continue to be frightened off by needlessly complicated and outdated planning laws.

Elise Archer MP
Shadow Minister for Planning
Shadow Minister for Community Development
Monday, 30 January 2012

This week’s breakthrough in a decades old murder case shows just how short-sighted the Green-Labor Government’s decision to axe the Cold Case Unit is.

Cold cases have a devastating impact on the families and friends of the victims, and without a dedicated Cold Case Unit, Police Minister David O’Byrne is denying people justice.

The axing of the Cold Case Unit, coupled with other cuts to police such as taking police officers off the frontline to do paperwork instead of fighting and investigating crime makes this decision even more farcical.

What makes the axing of the Cold Case Unit even worse is that the Green-Labor Government is funding lower priorities instead.  That the Government would rather spend millions chasing foxes, rather than criminals really sums up how warped their priorities are.

The Liberals have identified nearly $200 million worth of savings in our alternative budget that we would invest in frontline services, like police and public safety.

Elise Archer MP
Shadow Minister for Police and Emergency Management
Friday, 27 January 2012

Ms Giddings has proven herself to be Tasmania’s worst Premier.

After one year in the job, Lara Giddings has failed to meet even one of the promises she made to Tasmanians when she became Premier.

When she was sworn in, Ms Giddings promised (she would):

1) Get back to basics and Labor values;
2) Deliver on the right to essential services;
3) Address cost of living pressures;
4) Support the forest industry;
5) Provide vision and direction;
6) Deliver jobs and economic growth;
7) Not pursue a Green agenda;
8) Deliver leadership, stability and transparency.

Fail, fail, fail!

Not only has she failed to deliver on any of these commitments, Ms Giddings has been responsible for driving Tasmania into the ground with record cuts to essential services, record low consumer and business confidence, and not surprisingly - a record number of rallies against decisions made by her inept and out of touch Government.

In sharp contrast, a majority Liberal Hodgman Government would grow our economy so we can generate the wealth needed to fund essential services like health, education and public safety.

The Liberals’ priorities are the economy, jobs and cost of living, and we have policies to deliver on these commitments.

Elise Archer MP
Member for Denison
Sunday, 22 January 2012