Question – UTAS STEM Business Case?
The Hon Meg Webb MLC asked the following two Questions to the Minister for Infrastructure, the Hon Kerry Vincent MLC, during Legislative Council Question Time on Thursday the 10th of April 2025.
The Minister undertook to take the Questions on Notice and inform the House at a later date (note: the Upper House has not sat since and responses are provided during sitting sessions).
Questions Asked by Meg Webb MLC
Thursday, 10 April 2025
- Question to the Minister for Infrastructure, the Hon. Kerry Vincent MLC
My Question is to the Minister for Infrastructure.
Minister, UTAS has repeatedly stated publicly that it expects to receive $100 million for the Sandy Bay campus land designated for rezoning and sale.
However, the STEM Business Case you submitted in your capacity as Infrastructure Minister, to the Federal Government on 26 March 2025, indicates that UTAS’ expectation of receiving $100 million may also relate to transfer of that land to the State Government rather than an open market sale, for example:
“the proposed Australian Government funding request of $401.5 million over seven years represents the total capital cost to deliver the new Sandy Bay STEM precinct less a proposed $100 million land sale or transfer to the Tasmanian Government” (page 7)
Minister, has the Government committed to providing funding to UTAS for “… transfer to the Tasmanian Government”? If so, for what amount?
Earlier valuations of UTAS campus land indicate that the land in question has a market value significantly less than $100 million.
Has UTAS or the Government sought a current market valuation of the land? If so, can this please be tabled by the end of the day?
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2. Question to the Minister for Infrastructure, the Hon. Kerry Vincent MLC
My Question is to the Minister for Infrastructure
Minister, has the Government ever received any evidence or advice from UTAS that the cost of replicating the STEM facilities above Churchill Avenue as part of the consolidation of STEM below Churchill Avenue would be less than $100 million? If so, can that advice please be tabled.
Further regarding the STEM facilities, despite UTAS publishing the STEM Business Case on its website, when I last checked this morning it has not published the appendices to the Business Case, which are critical in understanding the assumptions on which the Business Case was based. Can the Government please table the appendices or arrange for UTAS to publish the appendices at the earliest available opportunity and prior any expected debate on the UTAS (Protection of Land Bill) 2024?
(once a response from government is received that will be uploaded here – stay tuned!)
View as a downloadable PDF file Meg’s Two Questions to the Infrastructure Minister of 10 April 2025 here
