Today's revelation that meddling Minister for Planning Michael Ferguson will now look into an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) extension at Richardsons Road in Sandford is an extraordinary backflip which proves just how much of a mess planning has become on his watch.
It was less than a year ago that Mr Ferguson knocked back an extension for the Richardsons Road development saying it "would be both premature and potentially undermine the Greater Hobart Plan and its implementation."
After being caught out a fortnight ago, Minister Ferguson has reverted to just making up lies and picking fights on planning - but he still doesn't seem to understand that it is his own rules that are making planning such a mess.
No one has any confidence in Ferguson as Planning Minister, as demonstrated by Clarence City Council's extraordinary 10-1 vote to censure him.
His newfound enthusiasm to revisit the Richardsons Road UGB extension that he categorically rejected less than a year ago proves one of two things.
Either the Minister has finally realised that his Government's failure to act on the UGB is adding to Tasmania's housing crisis, or he's taken his incompetence as a Minister to a whole new level.
If the UGB was reviewed properly seven years ago when it was due, we would not be seeing critical housing held up because the rules would be clear.
Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Local Government & Planning
