Appetite lost for Shorten luncheon

BILL Shorten will be in Braddon today amid reports a formal lunch in Devonport was cancelled because of a lack of interest.

The federal Labor Leader is coming to the state to help candidate Justine Keay in the lead up to the Super Saturday by-election later this month.

Mr Shorten was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech today at the luncheon for the Devonport Chamber of Commerce.

But it has been reported less than 20 of the 80 tickets for the function were sold and the Opposition Leader will now hold an informal lunch at a Devonport hotel.

The venue, the Quality Gateway Hotel, held a sold out business lunch for Malcolm Turnbull during May.

Mr Shorten is expected to campaign in Braddon today and tomorrow.

Mr Turnbull is due in the North-West electorate next week to help boost the profile of Liberal candidate Brett Whiteley.

FUNDING announcements in the state’s North-West are coming thick and fast as the countdown to the Braddon byelection begins in earnest.

But questions are being asked if the by-election dollars are coming from a package given in exchange for a Tasmanian senator’s vote on corporate tax cuts and if it will soon run dry.

Yesterday, Liberal candidate Brett Whiteley was joined by Federal Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham in Burnie to commit $750,000 to the establishment of a new training centre to give Tasmanian advanced manufacturing businesses the skilled workers they need to compete for global contracts. Asked directly by the Mer

cury if he had a campaign fund, Mr Whiteley spoke about his commitment to the electorate, but gave no details of how his promises were being funded.

In March, it was revealed the Turnbull Government would “provide up to $47.5 million” for Tasmanian projects after a deal was negotiated between now-Nationals Senator Steve Martin in exchange for his support for the Government’s corporate tax cuts.

So far, Senator Martin and the Federal Government have announced about $35 million in projects for Tasmania, leaving roughly $12.5 million unallocated.

Tasmanian Labor Senator Anne Urquhart mentioned the benefits the major banks would reap from the tax cuts.

“Whenever Brett Whiteley announces a new project, he needs to outline to the people of Braddon if it is funded from the [money given] to win over Senator Martin’s support for the $17 billion handout to the banks,” Senator Urquhart said.

Senator Urquhart claimed Mr Whitely should “come clean” and disclose whether any further projects will be funded from the money promised to Senator Martin.

“Or now that Martin is locked in, is it true that Tassie has been short changed?”

The Advanced Welding Training Centre — to be based at the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council centre of excellence in South Burnie — will boast five state-of-the-art welding simulators and advanced technical training to help upskill TasTAFE trainers.

“High-quality skills means local businesses have jobready apprentices so they can grow and take advantage of the opportunities of Tasmania’s stronger economy and reputation as a world leader in supporting the defence, maritime and advanced manufacturing sectors,” Mr Birmingham said.