I’LL PROTECT TASSIE: BEC
LABOR leader Rebecca White says she wants a fairer, more equal state which celebrates innovation and ideas and protects our unique lifestyle.
Ms White laid out the vision in her reply to the Premier’s State of the State address in Parliament yesterday.
“The question that drives me in this job is: what are we doing to protect the things that make us unique?”
LABOR leader Rebecca White says she wants a fairer, more equal state which celebrates innovation and ideas and protects our unique lifestyle.
Ms White delivered her reply to the Premier’s State of the State address in Parliament yesterday. She highlighted the need for investment in public services and for more secure and well-paid work.
“I believe in a future Tasmania where no-one gets left behind, and when people ask what Labor stands for I tell them this,” she said.
“I also tell them that a Labor government, with this team right here beside me, is determined to deliver a fairness agenda, better access to hospitals and health care, training pathways to employment, investment in infrastructure to support housing and transport, action on climate change and renewal energy, and a balanced budget that gives confidence to business and supports sustainable economic development.
“The question that drives me in this job is: what are we doing to protect the things that make us unique?
“What are we doing to preserve the Tasmanian way of life? How do we ensure the best future for our children?
“Being in opposition is frustrating. It means we are denied the opportunity to give effect to all our policies, whether that is fixing the health crisis, building affordable housing or investing in skills to create jobs.”
In her State of the State response, Ms White lashed the “do-nothing” Government for what she described as a year of failure and scandals.
“Tasmanians were promised stable government,” she said “They were promised open and transparent government. They can be forgiven for now believing these promises were a con. What they have witnessed over the past year is something more akin to a soap opera.”
She highlighted the state of the health system, the housing crisis, a lack of progress at Macquarie Point, the public sector pay dispute, inaction on providing abortion services — and accused the Government of blowing the budget.
“The budget update, released quietly in the middle of the bushfire emergency, reveals the Liberals have put Tasmania on a fast track to debt with their twisted priorities and irresponsible election pork-barrelling,” she said.
“Tasmania will be in net debt of $343.1 million within three years.
“What was forecast to be a $161.9 million surplus has been reduced by 95 per cent to just $7.3 million, and that is before we even start to factor in the cost of the bushfires.”