’Budget for the times’: Tasmania reacts to Federal Government’s budget for 2022

Premier Peter Gutwein has praised the Morrison government’s budget, claiming it is one ‘for the times’ that would help Tasmanians struggling with the cost of living. LATEST >>

Premier Peter Gutwein says the cost of living measures in the federal budget will benefit Tasmanians struggling with the rising cost of living.

“Last night’s federal budget was a budget for the times,” he said.

“What it does, it puts money directly into the pocket of those people that are most affected by cost of living increases.

“So it’s a good budget for Tasmania, a good budget for the times. I welcome the additional spending that we saw in it.”

“I’m certain that there are many more announcements to be made during the election campaign.”

Mr Gutwein said the proposal for a covered stadium on the Hobart waterfront was in the pre-feasibility stage and the government was a “long way from funding that project”.

Premier

The Premier welcomed the GST figures in the budget that left the state no worse off — but called for a guarantee that would continue in future under new arrangements that boost Western Australias take at the expense of other states.

The current guarantee expires in 2026/27.

“I want to see that as a perpetual guarantee,” he said I think that’s the only way that can be dealt with sensibly across the country and I note that other premiers and treasurers in every other jurisdiction, apart from Western Australia, are also supportive of that guarantee continuing.

New spending only covers cost blowouts, says Labor’s Mitchell.

Labor’s MP for the seat of Lyons Brian Mitchell said there had been little in the budget to advance Tasmania’s natural advantages in renewable energy.

“Given all the hype that the government, both state and federal government have made of Battery the Nation and Marinus Link over recent years, not one dollar has been allocated to projects,” he said.

“They’re really good at announcements, they’re really slow in delivery

“And even some of the things that they’ve announced for Tasmania, it’s not to upgrade those things, it’s previously announced project and they’re just addressing the cost blowouts.

“They announced the project three years ago, they don’t build it, costs have gone up 30 or 40 per cent.

“It look like it makes it look like they’re announcing a new project, but it’s just a top-up.”

Mr Mitchell said he expected a pre-election spending blitz in seats that the Coalition thought it could win.

ANTHONY ALBANESE

Budget light on help for climate change and environment” Greens

The federal budget did little to tackle the climate crisis or to protect the natural environment in Tasmania, Greens Senator for Tasmania Peter Whish-Wilson says.

“This Government has spent the last term of parliament trying to remove our federal environment laws and hand back powers to the states. Now it’s putting millions into deregulating and fast-tracking our environmental regulation process – in short, scrapping environmental laws by stealth,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.

“Mark my words, this will be bad for Tasmania and will lead to more environmental conflict, destruction and exploitation of our wild and special places, which is the last thing our state needs.

“There appears to be no critical funding for Tasmania’s Antarctic Gateway science programs, nor for protecting the Southern Ocean and the Great Southern Reef.

“The Great Barrier Reef again gets billions in Budget funding for ‘reef adaptation’ measures to combat climate change and invasive species, but Tasmania’s Great Southern Reef – which is critically important to our communities and fishing industry and faces equally critical threats – doesn’t get a cent.

“Ultimately it’s a budget full of sugar hits and Band-Aid solutions – both of which are bad for the long-term health of Tasmania.

‘Space program won’t help pay rent: Lambie

Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has grilled the federal government’s budget, claiming it does little to help Australians’ housing woes.

“Somehow the PM rustles up $1.3 billion for an Australian space program, but he can’t do anything to help with rent,” she said.

“I hope to God the PM’s planning to build houses on the moon. I don’t see this Budget doing much for housing affordability otherwise.”

Senator Lambie said she wasn’t also wasn’t convinced that the expansion of the NHFIC Home Loan Deposit Scheme would help and that although the thought was nice, prices are far too high.

“Prices will have gone up another 10 per cent in the time it takes to print these budget papers.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie reacts as she speaks in the Australian Senate at Parliament House on September 3, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by David Gray/Getty Images)

“We need rent assistance. We need more housing. And we need to get jobs and services out into the regions so that people don’t have to choose between a lifelong mortgage and a lifelong career.”

Additionally the independent claimed Morrison’s proposed $250 cost-of-living cash boost “will barely touch the sides”.

“Low- and middle-income aged care workers are getting a tax hike next year. They’re the ones paying back the Covid bill. That’s the thanks they get for pulling us through the pandemic.”

‘Glaring snub’: Labor grills federal budget

TASMANIA’s omission from a multi-billion regional fund in Tuesday’s federal budget was a glaring snub from the coalition government, Labor’s Julie Collins said.

One of the centrepieces of the budget was a new $7.1bln fund that will Energy Security and Regional Development Plan which will benefit the Northern Territory, central and northern Queensland, the Pilbara and the Hunter Region in NSW.

Tasmania missed out altogether, Ms Collins said.

“Scott Morrison has turned his back on Tasmania with our state left out of the Budget’s centrepiece fund for energy security and regional development,” she said.

“Tasmania has been excluded from a $7.1 billion fund for regional economies with four mainland regions sharing in the money and our state not receiving a cent.

Julie Collins MP at parliament lawns, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“In mainland states this cash is being used to support ‘clean hydrogen production’ and ‘low emissions technology and energy production’ but Tasmania won’t see a dollar of investment.

“After talking up Tasmania’s renewable energy prospects for years, Scott Morrison has turned his back on our state.”

The proposed Marinus Link electricity interconnector was mentioned in the budget but missed out on any funding.

Ms Collins said the federal government has dealt Tasmania’s ambitious as an energy exporter a huge blow.

“This a shocking decision and is a catastrophic setback for Tasmania’s aspirations to be a renewable energy and future industries powerhouse.

“It will jeopardise proposals that were estimated to create thousands of jobs in regional Tasmania.

“It just shows the Federal Tasmanian Liberals are missing in action when it comes to advocating for our state’s fair share of funding.”

RACT welcomes fuel price incentives

RACT Chief Advocacy Officer Garry Bailey welcomed a temporary halving of the federal fuel excise, but said more road funding was needed.

“The federal budget last night accepts that fuel prices are high and that more needs to be done to make Tasmania’s roads safer,” Mr Bailey said.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.

“The RACT wants a significant investment in the Tasman Highway.

RACT Chief Advocacy Officer Garry Bailey. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Last night, we saw funding confirmed for the Great Eastern Drive, which is part of the Tasman Highway.

“We welcome this, but we really need a long-term commitment to fix the Tasman from start to finish.

“And while the fuel excise announcement will provide some relief at the bowser, we support the AAA calls for all the fuel excise collected to be reinvested into our roads.

He said the RACT was keen to see what the major parties had to offer in the upcoming election campaign.

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