Liberals’ roads pledge hinges on federal government providing 80 per cent of the funding
The Liberals have announced $115m plans for congestion-busting road upgrades in two high-growth areas – but only if the federal government picks up most of the tab.
Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Tasmanian Liberals will ask the Federal Government to underwrite 80 per cent of a $115 million funding package for two congestion-busting projects in greater Hobart.
In an election campaign promise, the Liberals said they would invest a combined $23 million for separate roads projects in the high-growth areas of Rokeby and Kingston.
The first is $11 million towards $55 million for Stage 3 of the Rokeby to South Arm Rd upgrade, which covers the stretch between Pass Rd and Acton Rd and would build two traffic lanes in each direction through to Oakdowns.
A further $12 million has been pledged for a $60 million plan at Kingston to deliver a grade separated interchange at the Algona Rd roundabout, and duplication of the Kingston bypass from Algona Rd to the Huon Highway.
But both projects would rely on receiving combined federal funding of $82 million.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said if elected on May 1, the Liberals would put forward bids to their federal counterparts to secure funding.
Mr Ferguson said if the bid was successful, planning and development for the Rokeby project would start in 2023, with construction from 2025 and completion by 2027.
“With traffic volume in the area growing at around 4 per cent per annum we know we need to take action” he said.
“It is a critical transport link with congestion points contributing to increased travel times during peak hours.”
Construction for the Kingston project would start in mid-2023 with works expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
“The transformational project will provide two lanes of uninterrupted travel in each direction between the Channel Highway and the Southern Outlet, hassle-free access to Blackmans Bay and Huntingfield and local schools, and will make provision for pedestrians and cyclists,” Mr Ferguson said.
Other campaign promises by the Liberals this week include $50 million for irrigation, river health and farm safety measures.
‘Cowardly’ Liberals snub public forums
THE Tasmanian Liberals have snubbed a series of state election forums in a move described as “cowardly” and leaving organisers urging them to reconsider.
The left-leaning Australia Institute put on the first of three candidates forums on Thursday in Ulverstone for the electorate of Braddon, but there were no Liberal candidates in attendance.
Almost 100 community members took up the opportunity to ask questions of candidates from Labor, the Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party, along with two independents.
But the Liberal Party declined the invitation, which the Tasmanian director of the Australia Institute Eloise Carr said was disappointing.
“There was a lot of concerned people at the event who felt strongly that they should have been there,” she said.
“It’s an opportunity for people to ask questions and to hear directly from the candidates. We were only asking for one candidate from each party to attend.”
Further forums organised by the Australia Institute for the electorates of Bass and Clark are scheduled for April 20 and 27 respectively – which the Liberals have also declined to attend.
“The invitation is still open,” Ms Carr said.
“I want to extend the opportunity for them to change their mind and come to the other two forums.”
A Tasmanian Liberal Party spokesman said Liberal candidates were out and about talking to community members and businesses about the issues that mattered to them.
“This does not include the Australia Institute which is a Green front group run out of Canberra,” he said.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor described the Liberals’ non-attendance at the forums as “cowardly but unsurprising”.
“The Liberals are most comfortable in the company of property developers and gambling corporations,” she said.
“Everyday people, less so. They don’t want to answer questions from voters at a public forum. They’re hiding from honest scrutiny. It’s one thing they’re good at.”
Labor MLC Sarah Lovell said all of Labor’s candidates were happy to speak in any forum.
“Just this week a Liberal candidate said she had been gagged from speaking unless expressly given permission to do so,” she said.
“The Liberals are determined to prevent their candidates from speaking in any public forum because they are forbidding any of them to have an opinion.
“Tasmanians want to hear candidates’ views, but the Liberals don’t want to participate in a democratic conversation.”
The Liberals have taken up an invitation to attend a forum hosted by community group Circular Economy Huon on Tuesday next week, where they will be represented by Huon Valley Mayor Bec Enders.
All five Liberal candidates for Clark attended another gathering put on by the Multicultural Council of Tasmania in Hobart last week.
$52m bid to cut ‘shocking’ housing wait list
LABOR would spend almost $40 million on building six new emergency accommodation centres across Tasmania if elected on May 1, saying too many were missing out on a roof over their head.
The four-year, $52 million funding package announced on Friday also includes $12 million for workers to help secure housing for those who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Labor leader Rebecca White said there were far too many people sleeping rough and there were not enough emergency accommodation options available.
“Every night in Tasmania more than 1600 people are homeless and that’s a sad and shocking situation,” she said.
“Too many people are falling between the cracks of a broken service system rather than getting the support they need to get into secure housing and maintain their tenancy.”
Ms White said people in need were being turned away from places such as the Hobart Women’s Shelter because there were not enough beds.
“We have to do better to make sure people have a safe place to call home and emergency accommodation is one of the necessary investments that a future Labor government will make,” she said.
Labor housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said more than 3800 families were on the social housing waiting list, and many were losing hope.
Among them is mother-of-four Danielle Riley, who has had a high-priority application on the register for almost two years.
Ms Riley, 28, said she has been couch-surfing for most of that time and that her youngest child had been born into homelessness.
“I’ve never been able to do the proper family things you should be able to do with your family,” she said.
“It’s emotional, it’s horrible and I don’t know why I’m not getting help.
“I am actually starting to lose hope as well. It’s just like a big roller coaster.”
Labor’s policy announcement comes after it pledged to introduce a scheme that would allow people to build or purchase a new home with a deposit as little as 5 per cent.
Both major parties have promised to help fund a redevelopment of the Hobart Showground that would deliver up to 450 new homes.
Libs ‘failed’ to fund ambulance service, say Greens
MORE than 220 extra paramedics would be hired and four new ambulance stations built in Tasmania under a plan put forward by the Greens.
The party says underinvestment in ambulance services had left Tasmania with the worst response times in the country.
Under the Greens’ plan, $150 million would be spent over four years to better resource the service.
An additional 224 paramedics would be employed and 34 new ambulance vehicles purchased.
Four new ambulance stations would be built – in Rokeby, the Channel, Ouse and Legana.
The plan would also include investment in a formal trauma support program, with rostered professional debriefs for staff at least twice each year.
In addition, two permanent psychologist positions would be created.
Greens’ health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said too many people were waiting too long for emergency and urgent healthcare.
“The heart-wrenching testimonials at the recent coronial inquest confirmed the state government has failed to properly resource Ambulance Tasmania,” she said.
“This is a crucial step for the health and safety of all Tasmanians.
“The Greens are listening to paramedics, and understand the needs of the community. That’s why we’re investing in the resources Ambulance Tasmania needs to function effectively and safely.”
Call to get ‘law breakers to fund the system’
FINES from motorists busted by Tasmanian speed cameras should be used to fund the newest technology to catch out those using their mobile phone behind the wheel, says the state’s peak motoring body.
The RACT has urged Tasmania to follow the lead of other Australian states to return revenue from police enforcement into road safety programs.
In particular, they have called for the next generation of road safety cameras to be rolled out in Tasmania, technology that detects mobile phone use and other distractions, seat belt use and speed.
The RACT said these cameras were already in operation in NSW, after a trial detected 100,000 motorists using their mobile phone while driving.
Queensland, Victoria and South Australia are expected to have them in place by early next year.
RACT chief advocacy officer Garry Bailey said distraction and speeding were major road safety challenges.
“Other states are rolling out the latest mobile phone detection and speeding technology to make their roads safer, but Tasmania is lagging behind,” he said.
“The next state government should act immediately on two fronts: roll out this new enforcement technology and provide long-term funding for the program with revenue from these cameras.”
The RACT said speed contributed to 29 per cent of serious casualties in Tasmania while distraction accounted for 24 per cent.
It also quoted research that showed distraction among motorists from using a mobile phone was equivalent to driving with a blood-alcohol level of between .07 and .10.
In 2020-21, traffic policing in Tasmania was expected to rake in $21.5 million.
But the RACT said Tasmania was the only state that channelled those funds into general government revenue, instead of reinvesting it into road safety initiatives.
“Other states see millions of dollars being invested from enforcement revenue into road safety programs,” Mr Bailey said.
“Our proposition is a simple one — the law breakers would fund the system.”
$1.2bn tax plan for miners, casinos, fish farms
BIG mining, property developers, gambling and aquaculture companies would pay an extra $1.2bn in taxes in the next four years, if the Greens were elected to government at May 1 election.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the party would like to increase mining royalties by 150 per cent to match the national average, increase casino taxes and make fish farms pay a 10 per cent royalty.
The Greens would also charge a 75 per cent “betterment tax” on the gains made from rezoning land.
The tax increases and the betterment tax would bring in $270m from the mining industry, $320m from fish farmers, $195m from casinos, $640m from clubs and pubs.
Ms O’Connor said successive Tasmanian governments had “allowed their wealthy mates to profit from Tasmania’s natural assets and to rip money out of disadvantaged communities”.
“For decades, big corporations and property developers have used political donations to purchase power and influence with the major parties.
“They have made extreme profits, and paid a pittance of tax, royalties and licence fees, for far too long.
“This concentration of power and wealth is crippling for society, and democracy. It means less money going into hospitals, schools and building new homes for Tasmanians.”
Ms O’Connor said the nation’s 250 wealthiest people had increased their wealth by 20 per cent during the pandemic, while 30,000 Tasmanians had fallen into poverty.
She said making corporations pay their share and levying windfall gains by developers would help everyone.
“This will mean we can fund better health care, truly free public education and build more homes for Tasmanians,” she said.
Libs fly high before crashing back to earth
TASMANIA’S budding gymnasts will fly higher if the Liberals are re-elected.
Sports Minister Jane Howlett and several of the party’s candidates for Lyons visited the Hobart Gymnastics Academy on Wednesday where they showed off their prowess on the trampoline – if “prowess” is the right word.
While it’s fair to say none will be in medal contention come the Tokyo Olympics, Ms Jane Howlett said $500,000 for the club would help the champions of tomorrow.
‘We’ll provide $500,000 towards the proposed expansion of the Hobart Gymnastics Academy Centre to cater for demand and deliver a more than 65 per cent increase in floor space, as well as increased height,” she said.
“This investment will make a huge difference to the club, which is one of Tasmania’s oldest and largest gymnastics clubs.
“It works with around 400 families from the greater Bridgewater area, as well as gymnasts who travel from as far way as Oatlands and New Norfolk.”
Ms Howlett said upgrade would raise to roof help athletes soar higher during trampoline and aerial training.
Gymnastics she said is one of the top ten sports vouchers redeemed through the government’s Ticket to Play voucher program.
FIRST LOOK: New Bellerive ferry terminal plans
About 500 commuters use the Bellerive to Hobart ferry daily. The government hopes a $5m ferry terminal upgrade will encourage more people to use the service. See the designs here...
Extra $10m funding to rebuild storm-damaged communities
Further assistance has arrived for communities picking up the pieces from damaging storms that swept through Tasmania. The details.