00:00The conversion of the old forestry Tasmania building into a hub for University of Tasmania students is well underway,
00:08but the $131 million redevelopment in Hobart's CBD has hit a hurdle.
00:14The university's law school, which had been expected to join the College of Business and Economics at the building,
00:20has ditched the planned move, arguing it already has a dedicated law building at the Sandy Bay campus.
00:27The decision has been welcomed by opponents of the university's plan to move most of its operations to the CBD.
00:33We were obviously pleased for the law faculty that they were able to achieve this
00:38because it's been something that they've been saying for a couple of years.
00:41I think a big part of staying here is the history behind it and the community that exists
00:45and it's kind of like you speak to alumni, they hold such value with the facility being here on this campus.
00:52The university spent $15 million, triple the estimated market value, buying the old forestry building in 2018.
00:59If you only took 10% of that money and invested it in your law students and your staff and your facilities,
01:08you would have a, not top 61 law school in the world, but probably top 25.
01:14Coming soon after the university announced plans to sell two CBD hotels,
01:19the decision has raised questions about the viability of the CBD move.
01:23They don't seem to have a coherent, feasible, workable plan for the future of the university.
01:32The University of Tasmania says it will still go ahead with its plan to move its economics and business faculty
01:38into the old forestry building once its refurbishment is complete.
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