Budget 2019: Roads and jobs to woo state’s voters but no timeline on when cash will be delivered
The Coalition has tried to woo Tasmanian voters with promises of jobs and roads — but there was little clarity on when infrastructure funding would flow. See how your electorate fared.
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THE Coalition has tried to woo Tasmanian voters with promises of jobs and roads — but there was little clarity on when infrastructure funding would flow and no detail on the long-awaited Bridgewater Bridge.
The Liberals have labelled Bass and Lyons as winnable and bragged of their chances in Braddon in national media, but the Federal Budget carried few new projects for the state.
The Coalition has targeted the state’s skills shortage and long-running battle with unemployment with a Tasmania-specific project that will offer fee-free training and financial support for associated resources to help people get jobs.
Another employment program aimed specifically at the North-West was funded until the end of this financial year, and further money will be provided to the state over the forward estimates through the Skilling Australians Fund.
Money for roads was splashed throughout Tasmania, including on the Tasman Highway, the Hobart-Sorell corridor and several roads in the North-West.
There was also an already announced $25 million package aimed at busting congestion in Hobart’s CBD.
But voters looking for fast relief from traffic bottlenecks will have to hold tight, with unclear timelines on when most of that funding would flow.
UNCERTAINTY OVER TARGET OF $130M ROAD FUNDING
The Budget also foreshadowed a potential fight in the marginal electorate of Bass over funding to the John L Grove Rehabilitation Centre in Launceston.
Last time its funding was projected to wind up, former treasurer Joe Hockey was mobbed at a press conference by pro-clinic campaigners — and then-prime minister Tony Abbott flew to Launceston specifically to announce funding for the unit ahead of the 2016 election.
In contrast, the special focus on Braddon roads, funding for a second linear accelerator at the North West Cancer Centre and the region-specific jobs package suggests the Coalition is gearing up for a fight in that electorate — that it almost won back at last year’s by-election.
The Budget papers also reveal GST revenue to Tasmania will increase slightly in the next financial year, from $2.44 billion in 2018-19 to $2.47 billion in 2019-20.
This was mainly thanks to a top-up payment provided under the Commonwealth’s “no worse off” guarantee.
READ BELOW TO SEE HOW YOUR ELECTORATE FARED
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BASS
Rehab centre funding comes to end
FEDERAL funding for Launceston’s John L Grove Rehabilitation Centre appears to dry up in the next financial year.
The clinic’s funding was reinstated after a concerted campaign ahead of the 2016 federal election, in which sitting Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic lost his seat to Labor’s Ross Hart. Budget papers show the funding — listed as providing for improvements to the Tasmanian Health Service’s approach to acute and subacute services, as well as the continued operations of John L Grove — is discontinued from 2019-20.
This financial year, $5 million was allocated to the centre. Strong community opposition to previous planned cuts resulted in then-prime minister Tony Abbott saving the clinic in 2016.
At the time it was expected to close, the then-government said patients in the clinic would be sent instead to the Launceston General Hospital.
The Budget also showed that $47.5 million will be allocated across 12 projects aimed at reducing pollution and improving the health of the Tamar River from next financial year. This formed part of Launceston’s City Deal and would roll out over five years. This was foreshadowed in the previous budget.
The Federal Budget revealed few obvious big-ticket wins for new Bass projects.
BRADDON
Delay to North-West infrastructure funds
A PROPOSED $80 million in upgrades to a series of busy North-West roads will not begin for nearly two years.
The Government has set aside funding for projects on Birralee Main Rd, the Murchison Highway, Old Surrey Rd, Massey Greene Drive and Strahan Rd in the Federal Budget — but the infrastructure program they fall under does not kick off until 2020-21.
But there were positives for the North-West in the Budget.
More than $4 million was allocated to fund a second linear accelerator at the North West Cancer Centre in Burnie.
The region’s job seekers will benefit from a $3.2 million employment package targeted specifically at that electorate. The funding will be spent this financial year and support the delivery of training, workforce planning and job-matching initiatives in the North-West.
It will aim to meet the skills needs of industries in that area.
No funding was allocated to the actual delivery of a second Basslink interconnector or pumped hydro. Instead, $56 million has been set aside for feasibility studies into “hydro storage potential” and Marinus Link.
CLARK
Traffic solutions in the works for Hobart
Hobart drivers can expect relief from $25 million aimed at busting congestion in Tasmania’s capital city.
But it was unclear when the benefits would flow to Clark — formerly Denison — with money for national projects under the Urban Congestion Fund expected to roll out from next financial year onwards.
The gifts of the Hobart City Deal were spelled out in yesterday’s budget papers — predominantly social and affordable housing already announced by Clark independent MHR Andrew Wilkie alongside Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz.
Just $3 million from that project will flow this financial year with the remaining $27 million budgeted for 2019-20. This will provide for more than 100 new social housing dwellings in greater Hobart.
The vast majority of the $529.9 million allocated for the next 11 years of the Hobart City Deal will be spent upgrading Australia’s research efforts in Antarctica. This was costed at $473.3 million.
The Government will also expand border provisions at the Hobart Airport as a result of the deal.
A national population package will see the establishment of the Destination Australia Program, an initiative that will support domestic and international students to study in regional areas.
The University of Tasmania has complained of lagging student numbers — particularly in the North and North-West.
FRANKLIN
Far South to light up in fire recovery plan
BUDGET papers reveal the Federal Government has handed Mona $1.5 million specifically to hold “a major light show” during Dark Mofo.
The funds — to be matched with $500,000 from the State Government — will aim to attract tourists to the fire-damaged far South after the Tahune Airwalk was burnt in recent bushfires.
The airwalk is expected to be out of action for at least the rest of this year.
Funding to Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area has not increased despite bushfires burning through about 6 per cent of the protected site through summer.
Instead, funding is maintained at $5.1 million per year until 2022-23. This is aimed at addressing “critical threats”, including feral animals and weeds and changed fire regimes, as well as conserving and restoring the biodiversity of the World Heritage site.
Tasmania was scheduled to receive the most annually out of the five states handed World Heritage funding. The State Government is responsible for the TWWHA’s maintenance.
National funding of $5.5 million over four years for additional mental health services for people impacted by natural disasters will allow for extra support to Tasmanians affected by bushfires.
LYONS
Big winner of $150m road spend strategy
MORE than $150 million has been pledged for two roads in the sprawling electorate of Lyons, one in the South, the other in the North.
The Budget papers included the $130 million revealed in Monday’s Mercury for the Hobart to Sorell corridor. A further $24 million will be splashed to upgrade Biralee Main Road between Westbury and Frankford. That cash will be delivered under the Coalition’s Roads of Strategic Importance initiative — but the project is not forecast to kick off until 2020-21, when $100 million for projects throughout Australia under that initiative is budgeted.
The remainder of money is pledged over forward estimates.
The Budget papers failed to cast light on what exactly the Sorell to Hobart funding would deliver.
Also in the Budget was a national congestion-busting package that sets aside $10 million for “intelligent transport solutions” on the Tasman Highway. It was unclear when that bucket of money would appear, with only national funding allocated across the forward estimates.
The Federal Government signalled it would support the states to provide advice on new forestry farms, private native forests and indigenous forestry areas, but has not yet determined how much each jurisdiction will receive.
About $4 million will be spread across the nation from 2020-21 to 2021-22.
emily.baker@news.com.au
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