Sigh of relief for Hodgman

PREMIER Will Hodgman was glad the Federal Budget contained no shocks or surprises, but remains worried about the impact of last year’s cuts to health and education.

The comparatively mild 2015/16 Budget followed last year’s horror show for the states, which left Tasmania around $2.1 billion worse off over 10 years.

“This is a budget that presented no shocks and no surprises to us, but that doesn’t say though we’re not disappointed with some elements that were announced last year, and that goes specifically to health and education cuts,” Mr Hodgman said.

“We are meeting soon at a national level to discuss future funding arrangements in health and education especially.”

Mr Hodgman said although extra GST revenue was welcome the Government would be very cautious about how the windfall was allocated in the upcoming State Budget.

“Former Governments have literally taken hay from the barn and burnt the barn in the process, and we were left with a budget mess,” he said.

Opposition Leader Bryan Green said the Federal Government had shafted Tasmania in the last Budget and that Mr Hodgman should join other premiers in fighting for health and education funding to be reinstated.

“He’s blind to the fact that those cuts are still in the Budget and will hurt Tasmanians a long time into the future,” Mr Green said. “It’s such a bad sign that a Liberal Premier has given up.”