Paul Lennon wants Jeremy Rockliff to release business case for TasInsure

As Premier Jeremy Rockliff continues to spruik his plans for Tasmania to have its own insurance business, a former Premier and treasurer wants him to provide the case for the scheme.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff and former Premier Paul Lennon.

Former Labor Premier and Treasurer Paul Lennon wants the Premier to immediately release the business case, costings and independent financial analysis for his “loopy” TasInsure plan.

Mr Rockliff was at Triabunna on Sunday announcing that tourism operators, many of whom struggle to get insurance, would be big beneficiaries of TasInsure.

He said TasInsure would be “cost neutral” and the Liberals would release the costings and modelling of all its policies to Treasury.

But Mr Lennon, who is not involved in Labor’s central election campaign, said the insurance scheme would put Tasmania at further financial risk.

Former Tasmanian Labor Premier Paul Lennon speaks to the media at Mawson Place in Hobart on Monday, August 23, 2021.

“I challenge Jeremy Rockliff to produce the Treasury advice that underpins this loopy scheme or alternatively, own up to Tasmanians that he doesn’t have it and that it’s a cynical attempt to hoodwink Tasmanians into thinking he cares about them,” he said.

“He should release the full costings, the full business case and the full independent financial analysis so people can see whether this is a real proposal or just a cruel hoax.

“Just four weeks ago the Premier was spruiking government business and asset sell offs as the centrepiece of the budget he presented to parliament.

“He commissioned eminent economist Saul Eslake to figure out which one’s should get the chop but before that work had concluded, he’s axed that idea and here we are, staring down the barrel of a financial risk that will only get bigger over time.”

Mr Lennon said Mr Rockliff must have “dreamt up” TasInsure two weeks ago or he would have released details of the scheme in the budget.

“If you want to propose a new state-owned company, while claiming that you’re serious about getting debt under control, debt that he created himself through reckless spending, then it’s your responsibility to release that policy with full costings, with the business case, and with an independent analysis,” he said.

“If they’ve been seriously looking at this then it would have been ready for the budget, but instead we’ve been conned.”

As Premier, Mr Lennon said he had introduced the legislation in 2007 to require political parties to have their uh election policies fully costed in time for the public to consider them before they vote.

Kerry Vincent MP, Premier Jeremy Rockliff, Jane Howlett MP, Amy Hills from TICT and Mike Davis from Maria Island Cruises at Triabunna.

Mr Rockliff said TasInsure would be “cost neutral” and the Liberals would release the costings and modelling of all its policies to Treasury.

As Tourism Minister, he said he had travelled the state constantly hearing from tourism operators “how crippling insurance costs are on their business”.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Amy Hills said some operators struggled to get any insurance at all.

“For some of our operators, especially those in nature-based, adventure tourism, or remote and high-risk environments, the issue isn’t just the cost of insurance, it’s actually being able to access it in the first place,” she said.

“TICT has been raising this issue with both the State and Federal Governments for several years now, and we welcome any initiative that acknowledges and seeks to address the cost and accessibility of insurance for our sector.”