Malcolm Turnbull insists a $30 million federal splash on a cableway at Tasmania's iconic Cradle Mountain is not pork-barrelling ahead of a looming by-election.
The prime minister and Premier Will Hodgman on Wednesday braved near-freezing weather at the rugged mountain - one of the state's tourist hotspots.
Mr Turnbull's brief visit to the electorate of Braddon comes after Labor's Justine Keay last week became one of the latest group of MPs to quit over dual citizenship issues.
A string of by-elections is expected across the country as soon as July.
Liberal Brett Whiteley was ousted by Ms Keay in Braddon two years ago.
But Mr Turnbull denied the funding is a vote grab.
"No, this is a cableway to get people up here, to deliver 60,000 more visitors and many more jobs in Tasmania," he told reporters.
"It's been under discussion for quite some time now, but obviously, the timing is very appropriate given that at long last we're actually having a by-election in Braddon."
The $30 million cableway commitment will be matched by the state government and is part of a $160 million plan to upgrade facilities at Cradle Mountain, including extra accommodation and a new visitor centre.
Mr Hodgman said the cableway was awaiting Commonwealth approval but will be built as soon as possible.
It is expected to create 150 jobs during construction and 50 ongoing positions
"Quite likely there'll be some who will want to see Tasmania stand still," Mr Hodgman said.
"But we are prepared to embrace the fact that our wilderness is not only important to us, but to the people who come here.
"We've been to an election on this. Tasmanians know we're a government that supports development, including in and around our wilderness areas."
Greens' Senator Nick McKim, the Bob Brown Foundation and the Wilderness Society have hit out at the proposed cableway.
"This is $30 million to prop up a corporate business model, and turn wilderness areas into theme parks," Mr McKim said in a statement.
"Tasmania's wild places are owned by everyone. They shouldn't be sold out."
A plan to build a cable car on Mount Wellington above Hobart has drawn heated opposition, with thousands turning out to a recent protest in the state capital.
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