Timeline
November 2014
Ma Yunsheng, Chairman of Chambroad Petrochemicals visits Hobart as part of the Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Hobart.
March 2015
Kangaroo Bay development announced:
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State government contributed crown land
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Clarence Council assumed the project costs and risks
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Federal government provided $5 million through the Tasmanian Jobs and Growth Plan.
March 2015
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Chinese company Chambroad Petrochemicals and TasTAFE.
August 2016
Company buys $1m+ home in York Street, Bellerive for company's project manager to live in.
October 2016
Binzhou City delegation visit Clarence and issue an invitation for Council to visit China. Invitation declined at this stage. Binzhou is the home city of Chambroad Petrochemicals.
17 December 2016
Kangaroo Bay development application lodged. Only 120 neighbouring properties advised by Council (the minimum statutory obligation and Council believe only a "small number of residences are directly affected the development). First time people realised there was a second building on Cambridge Road.
9 January 2017
Three days before representations to Council close, Council rule changed on allowable accommodation area (from predominately below Cambridge Road to predominately above).
12 January 2017
Representations close.
20 January 2017
Council released its 72-page planning document (only hours before the 12 noon closing time for deputation applications for the special meeting on 23 January).
23 January 2017
Development approved by Council. Richard James the only alderman to vote against the proposal.
FOR
Mayor Doug Chipman
Deputy Mayor Jock Campbell
Alderman Heather Chong
Alderman Peter Cusick
Alderman Doug Doust
Alderman Daniel Hulme
Alderman Kay McFarlane (Moved)
Alderman John Peers
Alderman Debra Thurley (Seconded)
Alderman Sharyn von Bertouch
AGAINST
Alderman Richard James
NOT IN ATTENDANCE
Alderman James Walker
24 January 2017
Legal advice received saying not to appeal the decision as it would be too risky against a $8 billion company.
Distributed flyers, consulted with community, gathered signatures on petition, wrote and spoke to every politician we could, sent letters to the Mercury newspaper and all media outlets ... nothing printed.
Queried rule changed with Planning Commission... but eventually were advised it was just a translation error.
27 February 2017
Council voted to accept an invitation by Binzhou City, China (the home city of Chambroad Petrochemicals) to send a Council delegation to visit the city in May to "explore opportunities for closer co-operation and a longer term relationship."
15 March 2017
Rosalie Woodruff presented a petition (1700 signatures) to Parliament asking the State Government to intervene as the height, size and design of the development was not appropriate for Bellerive Village and the surrounding residential area. Lara Giddings also spoke in Parliament on the inappropriateness of the approval process.
16 March 2017
Finally some letters to the editor published in The Mercury newspaper and some articles from Charles Woolley and Simon Currant in regard to what is suitable for Hobart to retain its image and identity - added weight to our concerns regarding this over-development for Kangaroo Bay.
17 March 2017
Lodged integrity commission query in regard to influence on Council by Chambroad Petrochemicals. Dismissed in April.
6 April 2017
Received an offer of a meeting with partners in the development, Robert Morris-Nunn, Gange Chau and Kate Loveday to attempt to appease community concerns with only very limited options.
9 April 2017
Community meeting at the opening of the playground in Kangaroo Bay. Media coverage.
27 April 2017
Another meeting with Robert Morris-Nunn offered two options for minor changes to the Cambridge Road building only.
29 April 2017
KBV hosted a community meeting. Suggested minor changes do not appease community concerns. Minor amendments relate only to the Cambridge Road building. The community want this special area developed, but this proposal's size is inappropriate for Kangaroo Bay.
May 2017
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Representations in regard to development made directly to both Labor and Liberal parties at AgFest.
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No promised amendments lodged with Council.
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A bed sheet campaign started to keep issue in the minds of the community.
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More letters with questions sent to Chambroad Petrochemcial's project manager... no replies.
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Council delegation visit China (GM Andrew Paul, Mayor Doug Chipman, and Aldermen Heather Chong, Sharon von Bertouch and James Walker with Alderman Debra Thurley, David Hulme and John Peers took up the option to travel with the delegation at their own expense). No report on outcome of meetings or any agreements reached.
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Surveying of the site begins so title can be issued and construction can commence.
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More letters to the editor published.
June 2017
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Town Hall style meeting held on 4 June with in excess of 170 attending, many did not know about the development approval and were very angry. Two motions were passed:
1.) The instigators of this development, namely Premier Will Hodgman and his Liberal government must act now to stop this development proceeding.
2.) Calls for censuring of the CCC for its processes in approving the Kangaroo Bay development over a holiday period when many people would be away on holiday without responsibly consulting and invoking its own Community Participation Policy declared in 2010 and we call on them to rescind or reconsider its decision and actively consult with the community to provide sympathetic development for Kangaroo Bay. -
An answer from the Premier in regard to making public land available for a private developer to profit from was received but did not address the issue of making Crown Land available for this purpose. The question was asked again.
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Increase in publication of letters to the editor and greater public awareness.
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Publication of Mayor's response to the community meeting and the community's response.
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Video of community meeting sent to Chambroad Petrochemicals.
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Letter sent to Managing Director Mr Mau in Shandong, China, explaining while this development idea is good, Kangaroo Bay is not a suitable area and the process does not conform to the company's code of ethical conduct.
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Constant stream of letters to the editor.
July 2017
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Cambridge Road house demolished.
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Bedsheet and signage campaign gathers steam.
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KBV held meeting to update community as no information flowing from Council.
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Rosalie Woodruff MP writes to Mayor Doug Chipman outlining community concerns from the community meeting.
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Polling shows surge to Greens in Franklin.
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Council continue to refuse to disclose sale price of crown and public land.
August 2017
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Letters to the editor continue to be published.
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During closed meeting Council decided to keep secret the sale prices of crown and public land in Kangaroo Bay to Chambroad Petrochemicals.
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Community find out Kangaroo Bay has been removed from Council's Community Activity Hubs Conversation Sessions.
September 2017
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200 community members attended a public meeting to call on the Hodgman government to stop the transfer of community land to Chambroad Petrochemicals.
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More letters to the editor published.
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On 21 September a petition to stop the transfer of community land was tabled in Parliament.
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Council hold an information session on the Bellerive public pier (they somehow forgot to advertise it very widely!).
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Letters to the editor continue.
25 October 2017
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Robert Morris-Nunn and Chambroad Petrochemicals lodge a second DA for Kangaroo Bay.
November 2017
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Over 100 community members attend the Pembroke by-election candidates forum organised by Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania.
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Premier Will Hodgman and Local Government minister Peter Gutwein put the blame for the over-development of Kanagroo Bay back on Clarence Council, Mayor Doug Chipman and Aldermen.
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Letters to the editor continue to be published regularly.
4 November 2017
Mayor Doug Chipman loses the 'unlosable' Pembroke by-election for the Legislative Council to Labor's Jo Seikja. Labor polling identifies community concern regarding Kangaroo Bay as a significant factor.
5 November 2017
KBV host a community information session on the second DA. Hundreds of locals attend.
16 November 2017
Representations close. 148 representations lodged.
28 November 2017
Community finds out 8905sqm of crown and public land in Kangaroo Bay was sold to Chambroad Petrochemicals for $2.44 million. Council have spent $2.7 million so far to make the site ready.
December 2017
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Letter writing campaign continues.
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Taking down signs from the Kangaroo Bay fence and footbridge makes it onto the Council's morning schedule.
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3,000 homes letterboxed advising of upcoming special Council meeting.
8 December 2017
KBV community barbecue held.
14 December 2017
Less than a day before deputation applications close, Council release its 96-page planning document (community have trouble accessing the weblink and Council officers initially refuse to make hard copies available to community members).
16 December 2017
5779sqm of land in Bellerive sold for $3.8 million (8905sqm of crown and public land in Kangaroo Bay was sold to Chambroad Petrochemicals for $2.4 million).
18 December 2017
Hundreds of community members protest outside Council Chambers.
Council approve the second DA. Richard James the only alderman to vote against the proposal.
FOR
Mayor Doug Chipman
Deputy Mayor Jock Campbell
Alderman Heather Chong
Alderman Peter Cusick
Alderman Doug Doust
Alderman Daniel Hulme
Alderman Kay McFarlane
Alderman John Peers
Alderman Debra Thurley
Alderman Sharyn von Bertouch
Alderman James Walker
AGAINST
Alderman Richard James
Morris-Nunn and Chambroad Petrochemicals re-state their threat to proceed with the first DA is the second DA is appealed.
4 January 2018
An appeal lodged seeking to ensure the permit includes conditions to ensure compliance with relevant state policy. The Resource Management & Planning Appeal Tribunal (RMPAT) to meet on Monday 15 January, at 3pm.