Tasmanian election: Liberals’ pre-poll boost on jobs

The dying days of Tasmania’s election campaign sees claims of ‘reckless Liberal pork-barrelling’, including on a rock concert, basketball and even a dog show.

Tasmanian Opposition Leader Dean Winter, left, and Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Pictures: News Corp

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Tasmania’s Liberals have received a pre-election boost, with the island recording the lowest jobless rate of any state, as Labor accused the Premier of a “reckless” last-minute pork-barrelling spree.

Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff, whose embattled minority government faces the polls on Saturday, seized on the 3.8 per cent jobless figure to plead with voters to allow the Liberals to “keep our economy moving forward”.

“This is something all Tasmanians can celebrate,” Mr Rockliff said. “Tasmania has the lowest unemployment rate of any state in the nation, and our economy is worth a record $40.6bn.

“It is a testament to the strong work between our government, the business community, small businesses, and every single Tasmanian who is working to keep our economy moving forward. We must not allow this work to stop.

“A majority Liberal government is the only way to keep Tasmania moving forward with certainty, stability, and efficiency.”

The data also revealed Tasmania as having the lowest participation rate and highest underemployment, suggesting the jobless rate is not as healthy as it seems.

Party in the Paddock at White Hills in northern Tasmania. Picture: Patrick Gee

Labor accused the Premier of driving the state – already facing a trebling of net state debt over three years – further into the red by engaging in a last-minute “vote-buying” spree.

A flurry of promises from the Liberals included $1.5m for the Party in the Paddock rock festival, $12.5m for new basketball courts in Hobart’s north, $2.5m for an agricultural learning centre and even lighting for a dog show club.

“This sort of pork-barrelling is exactly how the Liberals wrecked the budget in the first place,” said Labor Treasury spokesman Josh Willie.

“It’s desperate, it’s reckless, and it needs to be called out.

“Labor has put forward the most comprehensive fiscal plan of any opposition in Tasmania’s history, outlining $1bn of ­savings.

“In contrast, the Liberals have no savings plan.

“The only plan they have is a plan to bankrupt Tasmania.

“After 11 years of the Liberals, it’s time for a fresh start, and the best way to make that happen is to vote Labor.”

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon. Picture: Getty Images.

The Greens, which polls suggest will hold the balance of power with independents after Saturday, ramped up their campaign against the $945m-plus Hobart AFL stadium.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said her party had purchased a Jetstar ticket for AFL boss Andrew Dillon to fly to Hobart on Saturday “to come down and hear community views on the project for himself as people head to the ballot box”.

“While he might not be used to flying Jetstar, we’ve bought him extra leg room to make the trip a bit more like what he’s probably accustomed to,” Dr Woodruff said.

“Talking to Tasmanians across the state through this election campaign, there’s one thing that’s clear above all else: most people do not want a stadium.

“The AFL CEO needs to stop talking to Liberal and Labor politicians and hear this for himself.”

A record 100,000 Tasmanians – about a quarter of all voters – had by Thursday already voted, either at a pre-poll centre or via postal or phone vote.