A group opposed to the University of Tasmania's plans to relocate to Hobart's CBD has launched a petition asking the city's council to withdraw its support for the move until it is independently reviewed.
Save UTAS Campus was formed to lobby against the university's plans to shift from the suburb of Sandy Bay into central Hobart, arguing the community was not properly consulted and the decision did not stack up.
Its petition has also called on the Hobart City Council to hold a public meeting to discuss the $600 million proposal — a request that will be enforceable if more than 1,000 people sign on.
Opponents question UTAS priorities
Save UTAS Campus chairwoman Pam Sharpe said it was time for an independent look at the university's plans because "there's enormous numbers of questions about it".
"[We want] an independent look at the plans and look at the finances that lie behind them, look at the reasons for the move because it is almost impossible to find anyone, except for people who are working on the move, who supports the move," Professor Sharpe said.
UTAS has bought up almost $80 million of inner-city properties in recent years and announced it was moving into the city in early 2019.
It signed an agreement with the Hobart City Council later the same year committing the university to paying the equivalent of rates. Universities are generally exempt because they have charitable status.
UTAS move to improve access
Pitching the move, vice-chancellor Rufus Black said it would give students in suburbs and towns outside Hobart greater access to higher education.
"The university’s move to the CBD is about providing more Tasmanians with the opportunity to get the best possible education," he said in a statement.
"Over the past 20 years nearly half of all new jobs in Australia required at least a bachelor degree, but only 10 per cent of Tasmanians living outside of Hobart currently have one.
"By moving into the city we can dramatically increase access and provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities for all Tasmanians."
Professor Sharpe said the money committed to the inner-city campus would be better spent upgrading existing buildings at Sandy Bay, which is about 3 kilometres from the CBD.
"We know that 84 per cent of the staff surveyed by the National Tertiary Education Union … were against it, and many, many problems have come up with particularly moving science facilities, greenhouses, chemistry labs that were only just remodelled and overhauled two years ago," she said.
A document released by the university in early December detailing community engagement on the future of the Sandy Bay campus said: "A significant proportion of participants expressed their concerns regarding the campus's relocation to the CBD", but "this decision remains out of the scope of this work."
A draft concept plan for the Sandy Bay site, also released by the university late last year, revealed the campus would become the site of 2,500 homes, a tourism precinct and new sporting facilities.
Last Wednesday, Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz wrote to federal Auditor-General Grant Hehir urging an investigation into the relocation of UTAS.
"Whilst many valid arguments have been raised as to the wisdom of such a move on planning and educational grounds, I seek your assessment of the value for money of the proposed move and the sustainability and visibility of the funding model which is consuming substantial sums of taxpayer dollars which find their genesis from the federal government and fee-paying students under the HECS scheme," Senator Abetz wrote.
Senator Abetz is yet to receive a response.
