Save Ralphs Bay Inc. today refuted absolutely claims made by Planning Minister, Steve Kons, that the group is engaged in a scare campaign.

SRB Inc. Communications coordinator, Cassy O’Connor, said while many Tasmanians are genuinely scared at the prospect of canal estates, SRB Inc. has always sought to present the known facts, while highlighting the values of Ralphs Bay, and raising questions posed by the Walker plan.

“Rather patronisingly, the Minister tells us to have faith in the planning process, and assures us our views will be heard.

“We were made a similar promise by then Acting-Premier, Paul Lennon, in March 2004 when he assured us the community’s views would be heard before any decision was made on whether or not to proceed any further with the first Walker proposal.

“In community survey after community survey conducted by our Labor and Liberal representatives, the response was a resounding NO by an average of at least 70%.
And, in July 2004, almost a thousand people attended our rally at City Hall.  Thousands of letters were sent and phonecalls made to ministerial offices.  Such was the outcry, Cabinet was divided on the issue, and ultimately Walker walked in September last year.

“Then, the goalposts were shifted shortly after the return of Lennon Labor.  Now we face the very real prospect of fighting this odious canal estate proposal in the RPDC, a process that will be conducted at taxpayers expense when the government’s own (taxpayer funded) State of the Derwent and State of the Environment reports are clear Ralphs Bay is a place of high conservation value and its sandflats should remain undisturbed.

“We remain firmly of the view that the risks tied to any possibility - however remote - of the Walker proposal getting through the planning system, are far too high.

“And of course, we know the Premier doesn’t have to heed the recommendation of the RPDC.  He has assured us he will, but going on his government’s past form, a disenfranchised community has good cause for alarm,” Ms O’Connor said.

Save Ralphs Bay Inc has also called on government ministers to stop describing Ralphs Bay as Lauderdale Quay.  There is no such place.  No amount of clumsy Orwellian spin will erase Ralphs Bay from the map.