Open letter to the residents and Councillors of Break O’Day Region

It was with great interest on returning home recently from overseas that I read the letter from our Mayor Sarah Schmerl to various politicians openly advocating for a better deal for the Break O’Day area. At last I thought someone is prepared to openly advocate for our  municipality.

However despite being the poorest municipality in the poorest state of Australia, the government decided to give us nothing in the promised funding for Tasmanian Jobs and Growth Plan. Yes this was disappointing, but let us look on the up side to this decision (and other political decisions that have resulted in the total neglect of the Break O ‘Day region), after 20 years of being a safe  Labor seat under the amply girthed Mr Adams, a massive swing of over 13% gave us a new Liberal Federal MP.

What does that mean I hear you ask – well Lyons now is in that sweetest political position of being one of the most marginal seats in Australia, a swing of only 1.3% in the next election can give Labor back Lyons. This means that both parties for the first time in 20 years will be looking to the voters of Lyons to win them the seat. Both parties will be desperate for your vote!

I believe it is now up to us in the Break O’Day region to put our political/environmental and other differences aside and apply pressure on our new federal MP to ensure that he opens up “suitable opportunities” to us (better  known as pork barreling). What can we hope/press for? Well here are a few suggestions:

•  Give us a permanent solution to the Barway problem.
• Promote all regional tourist areas equally, enough of allowing the large corporate destinations to flourish at the expense of other destinations such as Bay of Fires and Circular Head.
• Complete the bike track around Georges Bay.
• Ensure adequate timber supply for the smaller saw mills to operate.
• Give us a destination that tourists will come to – a Bay of Fires National Park. Is it a total coincidence that Federal Hotels are nearly all located right next to a National Park?
• Give us the promised upgrade to the sports centre, including the netball courts and how about a swimming pool as well?
• Get Taswater bills, especially sewage bills and developer charges, under control. At present they are hammering new developments and tourist accommodation providers alike.
• As St Helens is the largest town on the East Coast, serving a huge area is it not ridiculous that our High School doesn’t offer years 11/12 options??
• Push for projects such as the sinking of HMAS  Tobruk to go ahead.
• Fix St Marys Pass, no more peak tourist season closures.

For too long we have argued and bickered amongst ourselves allowing the Federal and State governments to ignore us. After all we were a safe Labor seat, so why should the politicians bother about us. Well that, thank god, has changed.  I believe for the first time in 20 years, Break O’Day region has a chance to catch up financially and politically with the rest of Australia. We simply cannot afford to yet again allow a golden opportunity to slip through our grasp. I would ask that we all take heart from optimists such as White Sands resort and Morty’s new developments and join with Sarah Schmerl to create a strong voice for Break O’Day.

We are now facing a state election where Labor is facing political oblivion. Why?  Because they are not listening to their electorate.

There is a wind of positive change coming to Tasmania in general – new politicians, new investment, new jobs, new hope – lets be a part of it and help lead it and not just slouch along as per normal, it’s the future of our children we are talking about here.

A note for Mr Hutchinson MP – we got you in by the skin of your teeth, do the right thing now by Break O’Day or get ready to pack your bags in Canberra at the next election.

Paul Marchment

Tourist Operator

St Helens.