Letters like this pose serious questions. UTAS say they have consulted students in the planning around the proposed move to Inveresk. However, at the meeting UTAS itself held in the Albert Hall current students had a different view.
Actually it turned out that the university had consulted the president of the student union which is not quite the same thing as "consulting the students."
At that meeting the Deputy Mayor, Rob Soward, (for some reason the Mayor was indisposed and not at the meeting) talked about the meeting being the "beginning of the consultation process" but if any 'consultation' had gone on after the meeting and when Council decided to 'GIFT' the land to UTAS there is no evidence for it.
Perhaps the Mayor and General Manager had a chat with a suitably compliant 'constituent' in a carpark, or at a ribbon cutting, or envelope opening, somewhere, and that was the consultation process.
The growing disquiet about the 'land gift' is not too surprising but the link between it and the revitalisation of Launceston's CBD "beggars belief".
The Aldermen seem to have placed their trust in the hands of some mystical guru living in La La Land.
AND as for other planning in the CBD, fiddling with traffic flows against the wishes of a majority of people consulted is quite simply bewildering.
If the cargo cult money does arrive for "City Heart" all ratepayers will paying more and quite probably for a poor outcome.
Already Launceston's rates are above the odds, well above, and it seems that the general manager thinks its alright since there is a museum, overblown swimming centre and football ground etc etc.
If there was a plot this lot seems to have lost it and they are not even embarrassed it seems as they collect their salaries and allowances, some ... most ... are over generous given the outcomes.
Think about it ... 50% of Launcestonians survive on Centrelink payments and it appears that this Council is allergic to accountability.
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