The mayors of Greater Hobart's four council areas are calling on all candidates to back the University of Tasmania's vision for a cutting-edge STEM campus in the upcoming federal election.
Announcing the project as the region's top priority, the mayors of Hobart Clarence, Glenorchy and Kingborough said specialised STEM facilities at Sandy Bay would address Tasmania's STEM crisis, strengthen local workforce capability, and build a future-focused knowledge economy.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the University was "uniquely positioned to tackle Tasmania's STEM challenges and drive the knowledge economy of the future, but it requires state-of-the-art facilities – not the outdated buildings currently on the Sandy Bay campus.
"The proposal is a win-win – securing the site's future as a contemporary university campus while also strengthening local expertise and workforce capability to address critical challenges for generations to come."
Professor Nicholas Farrelly, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Campus Life (Southern Tasmania), welcomed the strong support from the region's mayors.
"This project is a critical investment in education, science, skills and jobs for Tasmanians and we will need support from all levels of government to realise it," Professor Farrelly said.
"This important local government support comes on top of the strong backing of the Tasmania Government."
Tasmania's Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent has written to his federal counterpart Minister Catherine King to share the business case for what he called a 'nationally significant, transformational program of work' that 'has the full backing of the Tasmanian Government'.
The business case, which found the Sandy Bay STEM campus development has a positive Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.46, has been provided to the Tasmanian Government and independently assessed and reviewed through Tasmania's Project Assurance Framework.
Pictured: Greater Hobart Mayors Brendan Blomley, Anna Reynolds, Sue Hickey and Paula Wriedt with the Dean of Sciences and Engineering, Professor Eric Wapstra (centre).
