Will worries for battlers
THE Premier says despite the state’s strong economy, more action is needed to help vulnerable Tasmanians, including on the issues of homelessness and access to health care. In his state of the state address, Will Hodgman said “we don’t have to go far to meet people in our community” who have seen no benefits from the current “period of extraordinary economic prosperity”.
THE Premier has lauded the state’s strong economy but admits too many Tasmanians are not benefiting from it, saying issues such as homelessness and access to health care were keeping him awake at night.
In his state of the state keynote address at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia event at Wrest Point yesterday, Will Hodgman said while the state was performing well economically, it was not a time for the Government to rest on its laurels.
“The state of the state is very positive,’’ he declared.
“We have come a long way, but there’s still much more to do.”
Mr Hodgman said those who found it difficult to find a roof over their head, or who had to wait too long to be treated for a health condition, were reminders of how much more work had to be done to help the vulnerable.
“Whilst we are enjoying a period of extraordinary economic prosperity, we don’t have to go far to meet people in our community who see no benefit from that,’’ he said.
“We do our best, but often our deficiencies are identified when you meet some of these people and understand why that progress has not been so positive.” The Premier said that made the progression of key projects such as new health infrastructure and affordable housing initiatives all the more important.
He said it was “irrefutable” that Tasmania had the best performing economy in the country when marked against a range of measures.
He said business confidence was high, with 1600 more businesses operating in Tasmania than when his Government took office in 2014, with 15,000 more people in work during the same time period.
Mr Hodgman said a $3.6 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects would build the state’s capacity to address future population growth and create jobs.
The Premier said Tasmania was on track to be 100 per cent renewable energy self-sufficient by 2022.
He said large-scale future projects such as the proposed second Bass Strait interconnector, the Marinus link, would establish the state as the “renewable energy powerhouse of the country”.
“Not only will this allow us to export a most valuable commodity, renewable energy, into a national market that desperately wants what we’ve got — reliable, low-cost and clean energy — but it’s estimated that it will inject about $6.5 billion and around 2400 jobs into our economy,’’ he said.
The Premier said the state’s population growth was at its highest rate in 30 years.
He underlined the importance of furthering Tasmania’s brand so the state could stand out globally, and highlighted the Government’s mission to eliminate family violence.
He even managed to weave in a casual reference about the possibility of a Tasmanian AFL team.
“We can be the very best at all that we do, there’s no reason why we cannot. We might even get a team of our own one day, the way we are going,’’ he said.