Media Release: Flawed UTAS Bill Passes
UTAS (Protection of Land) Bill Entrenches Government’s Broken Promise to Protect Sandy Bay campus
16 April 2026
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the Legislative Council passing the University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill 2025 has resulted in the majority of the Sandy Bay campus being left unprotected, entrenching the Rockliff Government’s broken promise to the community.
The final vote on the contested The University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill 2025 passed the Upper House today.
“The unfortunate passing of the UTAS Bill sets up a truly Orwellian situation, with only around 14 per cent of the Sandy Bay campus actually protected under the new legislation,” Ms Webb said.
“This is a flagrant and unconscionable broken promise by the Rockliff government to the community, and a fundamental breach of public trust.
“Additionally, the Bill saw parliament inappropriately used without justification as a planning authority to rezone parcels of land without any of the usual requirements the standard rezoning process would demand under the planning system.”
Ms Webb said the Upper House did not pass this contentious Bill unanimously as a number of Members recognized serious concerns with the Bill including the fact the Government had been misleading regarding the creation of three categories of campus land.
“Serious concerns were raised that the Government had misleadingly stated that two categories of land would be created with only the parcels of rezoned land for inner residential development removed from protections requiring any other disposal of campus land needing to be brought back to the parliament for approval.
“It was exposed during the dying days of debate that in fact 56 hectares, the equivalent of 57 per cent of the entire campus, is left unprotected.
“UTAS can seek rezoning and sell off that land without ever having to bring it back to parliament.
“The 11th-hour justification by Government for the misleading of the Parliament on this matter was that, apparently, protecting this area of land would somehow impede potential land hand backs to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community.
“This is not the case. If the 56 hectares had the same protections as the Lower Sandy Bay campus, it would only means the proposed land hand backs would come to Parliament for approval which I believe would occur without issue.”
Ms Webb said there is nothing in the Bill which prevents the University from changing its mind and not delivering the proposed land hand back, which is a serious concern.
“We should not be legislating on a vague promise.
“I attempted to amend the Bill to provide a caveat upon the 56 hectares to ensure the priority future use for that land should it be divested by UTAS, was for land hand backs.
“My amendment would have provided substantive certainty for the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and the Parliament that this promise was expected to be delivered.
“It is bitterly disappointing that despite all the public statements from government that Parliament should not get in the way of potential future UTAS land hand backs, my attempts to provide certainty the land would remain available for that purpose was rejected.”
Ms Webb said the community would still be watching closely the fate of the Sandy Bay campus.
“There is still a long way to go before the university’s plans for the Sandy Bay campus eventuates, and the community will be watching closely.”
The University of Tasmania (Protection of Land) Bill 2025 now establishes the following three campus land categories:
ATTACHED: Background Briefing Paper, depicting unprotected, rezoned and protected areas of Sandy Bay Campus.
Read Meg’s Background Briefing Paper: UTAS Bill Leaves Majority of Sandy Bay Campus Unprotected, April 2026, either below or as a PDF here:
