Copies of our formal Media Releases, statements and responses can be found here:
2024
04 JAN 2024: RESPONSE TO CITY OF HOBART MAYOR ANNA REYNOLDS
By MWCC Executive Chair, Tony Mayell
I’m relieved to hear that Hobart’s Lord Mayor recognises the need for improved infrastructure for kunanyi/Mt Wellington!
However, I must respond to her assertion that the proposed cable car has held up the conversation for ten years. As with any comment or contribution she has made in respect to our project it reflects her own bias in respect to the project while avoiding the reality of the flawed planning regime that any proposed development is subject to.
Arguably under the aldermanic code of conduct HCC should have been excused from assessing our project because of the conflict it had noting its predetermined position.
The Mount Wellington Cableway Company (MWCC) has expended significant time and funds during that ten year period only to be stymied by a planning framework that is administered by an authority that is clearly conflicted on the project – the Hobart City Council (HCC), which coincidentally has the majority representation on the Wellington Park Management Trust Board (WPMT).
MWCC engaged expert legal advice when taking its case through the TASCAT process and tellingly the view from those experts post the TASCAT decision was that the existing planning regulations enshrined within both the HCC and WPMT Planning frameworks, and the inconsistencies and ambiguity contained in both, would prevent any form of future development.
The WPMT Management Plan clearly supports the intent and concept of a sustainable transport solution for the reserve. In our view this is the base reference point which TASCAT should have considered.
To suggest that the MWCC proposal has prevented other options being considered is laughable and simply untrue. The MWCC shareholders have a vision and have backed it in with their own financial commitment. Where are the other proponents for an alternative solution?
In the meantime, the Lord Mayor, and by extension the HCC, continues to advance a vision for a transport solution that looks more and more like a ramping up of a hub at the Springs with an exclusive shuttle bus service to the summit.
This is being delivered now via a rate payer subsidised diesel bus service - hardly a sustainable option in any context and one that will not be practical let alone viable when considering the projected number of visitors to the summit in the next few years.
Has HCC gone through the Development Application process (for which it is the authority) for the current work being undertaken at the Springs or for that matter the replacement of the road barriers on the Pinnacle Road in the last year?
I ask that all readers have a look at the MWCC website and gain an understanding of the incredible amount of work that has gone into our project - all driven by extensive, broad community consultation and adherence to world best practice.
In essence our proposal respects the community’s view that access to the summit cannot be monopolised, is environmentally sustainable and that it not be a drain on the public purse. The operation will deliver the required improvements the Lord Mayor is advocating for as well as an ongoing source of funding for responsible management of the reserve. Those principles have always been central to MWCC’s business plan.
Finally, MWCC is more than happy for our project to be considered alongside any competing alternatives, provided that the process is transparent and practical.
2023
2021
2020
2019
2018
RESPONSE: 18-06-2018 - PROTESTER'S ILLEGAL DOMAIN NAME & COPYRIGHT BREACH
"Mount Wellington Cableway Company (MWCC) has lodged a complaint under the rules of the Australian Domain Administration (AUDA) to protect our business, as is the right of any business in Australia.
The AUDA rules state that: “Domain name licences are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Provided the relevant eligibility and allocation rules are satisfied, the first registrant whose application for a particular domain name is submitted to the registry will be permitted to license it.”
Under the rules, a domain name “must not be, or incorporate, an entity name, personal name or brand name in existence at the time the domain name was registered”.
A person not associated with MWCC has registered the .com.au version of our website against these rules. It is clear their intentions are to deceive and mislead the community. Previous legal letters to them have been ignored.
In contrast, all domain names registered to MWCC were acquired some years ago and those domain names were not registered to any other entity at the time. Many of the domain names registered to us are for potential future business opportunities and to ensure they are not taken by competitors.
In relation to the registration of domain names relating to kunanyi, while we have not had any concerns raised directly with us, it was not our intention to offend the Aboriginal community. As we said in 2013, we are more than happy to talk with the appropriate Aboriginal body about gifting a domain. We have not yet been approached nor have our calls or emails been returned since 2012."
RESPONSE: 18-05-2018 - PROTESTER'S POLL
"Whilst their survey deliberately excluded locals living on the Eastern Shore and Kingborough, the result in Denison is to be expected given the devious false information and sadly, unnecessary community division Ted and his cohort have tried to spread.
Thankfully, it is heartening that only a small percent of the people of Hobart are swayed by their fear tactics.
We're getting on with the job. Plenty of information is publicly available on our website and we are confident that when our design work is ready the people of Tasmania can make a fully informed opinion."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 17-05-2018 - NEW AUTHORITY
"MWCC acknowledges the Government’s ongoing support as we prepare a Development Application. We also acknowledge the Minister’s advice that our existing Authority will need to be replaced if we shorten the route.
MWCC have been keen to explore a shorter route to comply with planning constraints in the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme outside of Wellington Park. With receipt of the Minister’s advice we can now make a final determination of the route and we look forward to detailing our decision soon."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RELEASE: 030518 - MWCC Survey Works
RESPONSE: 08-05-2018 - TIMEFRAME UPDATE
"Detailed design is currently a work in progress as we continue to engage with relevant authorities and landowners. MWCC looks forward to releasing detailed plans for public feedback once we can conduct the necessary site investigations to determine geotechnical stability and structural heights. We await permission for each activity from the Government, and this will determine our release dates."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 29-04-2018 - MEDIA STRATEGY
"In 2016 MWCC refrained from media and public commentary until such time that all formal assessment processes to determine the appropriate pathway were assessed and determined by Government. The process has been long and arduous for MWCC. However, this culminated in both Houses of Parliament supporting the Cable Car (kunanyi/Mount Wellington) Facilitation Act 2017. We were not specifically requested to halt community consultation by Government, however it made sense to delay until a pathway was determined.
The Community Forum postponed from earlier this year was in fact (and as clarified to the OFR Residents group) due to advice from our project team planners regarding the height restrictions. Selective editing of a meeting transcript by project opponents is mischievous and inflammatory."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 24-04-2018 - HAS SITE WORKS COMMENCED? SITE MOVED?
"No site investigations requiring use of our authority, including geotechnical engineering have commenced to date. We have been delayed by the State Government seeking further information to each task. These investigations are required to have been done prior to lodgement of a Development Application and to comply with the planning scheme. This is something the Hobart City Council refused to allow, and it is of great relief that both Houses of Parliament broke through the impasse with Legislation last year.
As per the conditions of the authority, we will advise the relevant authorities with due notice prior to any work, and advise the public through our website and social media channels.
MWCC are still deliberating on how best to address a critical height restriction issue introduced in the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme, which affects some of the Cascade land, and we are consulting with relevant stakeholders before a decision is made"
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 19-03-2018 - PURPOSE OF FILMING
"MWCC is delighted to roll out the first in a series of short films discussing the project, introducing the incredible members of our broader team and keeping the community informed. We expect to commence geotechnical investigations in May and June, weather depending, to confirm the positioning of support towers.
We will await the outcome of the HCC meeting tonight whether or not they will seek Federal Government intervention.
CUB has granted MWCC access and permission to submit our development application on their land title.”
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 13-02-2018 - MINISTERIAL AUTHORITY GRANTED
"MWCC applied for Ministerial Consent on 26th September 2017, in accordance with the successful passage of the Cable Car Facilitation Bill 2017 through both Houses of Parliament. Having received consent, we can now seek to verify important design issues fundamental to our ethos, namely, to ensure and give the community the confidence that the pinnacle terminal can be built in a way that respects the skyline of the mountain."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
2017
RESPONSE: 11-09-2017 - PROGRESS OF LEGISLATION
"We are looking forward to the legislation being tabled and progressing to the Legislative Council."
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 15-07-2017 - PUBLIC RELEASE OF LEGISLATION
"Following the exciting announcement from the Government earlier this year that will enable us to proceed with a development application, MWCC now welcomes public comment on the Government's draft legislation. We encourage Tasmanians to submit a formal comment to the legislation so that we can finally make a positive impact on our capital city.”
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
RESPONSE: 28-03-2017 - SUGGESTION OF FAVOUR
"Mount Wellington Cableway Company (MWCC) has not sought, asked or received any favours from either the Liberal Government or the previous Labor/Green Government. Our entirely self-funded proposal is founded on balanced, positive economic, environmental and social benefits. We seek, and have always sought, a commercially-tenable and transparent process to shine on our own merits.
We do not appreciate unfounded allegations aimed at compromising this process and jeopardising our intention to employ hundreds of Tasmanians for generations to come.”
-Jude Franks, MWCC Chair & Spokesperson
2016
pre 2015
archived
