Tasmanian government proposes buying Boag’s Brewery site

• The Tasmanian government is seeking to purchase the Boag’s brewery site in Launceston, aiming to secure the strategic industrial land for future use and redevelopment.
• The proposal is tied to broader plans to support jobs, industry, and economic activity in the region, with the site seen as important infrastructure.
• The potential acquisition has sparked debate over cost, transparency, and whether public funds should be used to buy the privately owned property.

The Tasmanian government is proposing to purchase the Boag’s Brewery site in Launceston and says it has in-principle support from its overseas owner to explore the idea.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff met with representatives from Kirin — the parent company of brewer Lion Australia, which owns Boag’s — in Japan earlier this week.

Last month, Lion announced it would close its 145-year-old Launceston Boag’s site by November and complete a shift of all production of the iconic Tasmanian beer to its mainland breweries.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Rockliff wrote in a press release that Kirin had “provided in-principle support to explore in good faith the state’s proposal to purchase the site”.

Until then, there had been no indication from the government that it would want to purchase the site.

“Kirin reiterated it and Lion’s commitment to working closely and collaboratively with the Tasmanian government and City of Launceston in relation to the future use of the site,” Mr Rockliff said.

The government did not release any further details of its proposal and it remains unclear what it would use the site for or how it would finance any deal.

The government is holding a Northern Tasmanian Economic Summit today.

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Original article and photo by "ABC News"