Senator Lambie takes aim at Tasmanian Government during a speech in the Senate on Thursday
“What’s the Tasmanian government doing? Knocking $15 bucks off our power bills? Whoopee”: Senator Jacqui Lambie has criticised the state government’s priorities during an impassioned speech in federal parliament.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Senator Jacqui Lambie has used a speech in federal parliament to blast the state government’s spending on consultants amid a cost of living crisis.
However the government says contracts to businesses are creating thousands of local jobs.
During a session on Thursday in which Senators made short speeches on matters of importance in their home states, Senator Lambie said life had become a “daily struggle” for many Tasmanians.
She recounted a recent incident where she encountered a man in the supermarket who asked her what she was going to do about the cost of living.
“He was quite agitated and very upset. I’ve got three boys, he said, and I don’t know how the hell I am going to feed them,” Senator Lambie said.
“I walked up to him, and took his hands in mine. I told him that I knew what it was like to be standing at the checkout, a sick feeling in your gut watching the numbers add up. Looking at your shopping and trying to work out what you can do without. If you’ll be eating cereal while your kids are eating a square meal.
“For people like me, politicians on a decent wage, the cost of living crisis is just a headline. But for many Australians it’s a daily struggle to keep your head above water. And what’s the Tasmanian government doing? Knocking $15 bucks off our power bills, whoopee.”
Senator Lambie said she recently sought analysis from the parliamentary library on the Tasmanian Government’s expenditure on consultants from 2017 to date.
“From 2016-2023 the Tasmanian government spent over $81m on consultants,” she said.
“How about the Tasmanian government spends less money on consultants and more money helping people like that dad I ran into in the supermarket so he can feed his boys?”
A state government spokesman said consultant spending was associated with record infrastructure investment.
“Senator Lambie hasn’t considered that we are using more design, environmental and engineering expert consultants because our construction and infrastructure program is now very large and employing thousands of Tasmanians,” he said.
“The number and value of contracts and consultancies varies from year to year, and are dependent upon the government’s priorities.”
The spokesman said consultants were helping with important reforms such as the digital health transformation, the North West Regional Hospital Masterplan and a $2.2bn roads program.
“The use of consultancies is carefully governed through the application of the Government’s procurement policies, including ensuring that we get value for money on behalf of Tasmanians,” he said.
“To cut expert consultants at this time would mean less investment in infrastructure and less support for our education, health and child safety initiatives.”
Originally published as Senator Lambie takes aim at Tasmanian Government during a speech in the Senate on Thursday
Ferguson’s fate rests with Independent MPs
Labor have threatened the possibility of a no-confidence motion in the Deputy Premier over the replacement Spirit saga. Here’s whether they will have the support of the parliament.
HAYDAYS struck out, but what about Party in the Paddock?
After just one year, HAYDAYS has been sacrificed for the future of a longer-running festival, Party in the Paddock. Here’s what the organiser had to say.