Grows employment
the Budget estimates. It won’t even try to tell the public when unemployment will come down. What an insult to the Tasmanian people. How can anyone have confidence in the revenue and expenditure projections for 2023 and 2024 when the government refuses to tell us the underlying economic conditions it expects in these years? Other governments do not hold back this budget information. Despite having no forecasts, we are asked to believe growth in total budget revenues will be 8.2 per cent in the final two years, or 32 per cent more than in the first two years. And we are asked to believe growth in expenses will be only 3.3 per cent in the final two years, or 35 per cent less than in the first two years. Labor questions the wisdom of producing a small cosmetic — and probably fictitious — surplus at the expense of actively supporting jobs and growth.
Peter Gutwein has put all of his employment eggs in the infrastructure basket, but this government’s infrastructure track record is woeful and its package a con. Late last week Moody’s Ratings Agency confirmed what every Tasmanian knows — the government will likely fail to meet its infrastructure targets.
The Budget papers reveal that of the 96 infrastructure projects funded by the Liberal government, 58, more than half, are already delayed, sometimes by two and even three years. Collectively they are delayed by 90 years!
Beyond the infrastructure package this budget has no other plan to create jobs. Record debt and near record unemployment is a poor return on Tasmania’s investment. Labor understands the power of an active government. Manageable debt and deficit will drive real growth, directly support businesses and permanently invest in skills and training. Labor’s fully costed and carefully constructed Working for Tasmania plan will create 35,000 jobs and actually reduce unemployment. It shows Labor is ready for government. And Tasmania desperately needs new government — a Rebecca White Labor government. A new government of ambition and compassion — ambition to make Tasmania’s economy and employment growth the equal of the nation — and compassion to make ensure that all Tasmanians share in the fruits of growth.