Tasmania election day three takes the Premier to Wynyard to visit Elphinstone Group

On day three of the Tasmanian election campaign trail, the Premier drops in on a leading Tassie manufacturer, while the Labor Party slides into childcare. The latest election coverage.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff with Dale Elphinstone at Burnie. February 16, 2024. Picture: Simon McGuire

February 16

February 16

The Greens want to quadruple the affordable housing budget and create a new Department of Public Works in a bid to address the state’s housing crisis.

Unveiling the housing policy in front of the site of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium, Greens Clark MP Vica Bayley said his party would rework the state budget to put more money into housing.

Mr Bayley said the Liberals had not allocated enough to build a promised 10,000 new homes.

“The reality is $150m a year will only buy the Premier 3000 houses over that 10 year period so he is going to fall well short of his target,” he said.

Greens Member for Clark Vica Bayley with Tabatha Badger and Chris discussing housing at Hobart Cenotaph. Picture: Linda Higginson

The Greens would also spend $15m a year to establish a Department of Public Works.

Chris, who lives in a caravan park, gave his support to the Greens’ policy.

“The Greens party have really had some impactful phone calls with me because they have listened to me as a person. That’s pretty rare in my experience,” he said.

The Greens’ alternative budget for 2023/24 proposes reallocating $100m a year in roads funding and cancelling the new stadium to divert funding to other areas including housing.

Labor pitch to build dozens of childcare centres if elected

February 16

A Labor government would significantly expand the availability of childcare places in Tasmania, party leader Rebecca White said on Friday.

Ms White said Labor would spend $75m to build another 30 childcare centres in Tasmania if elected at the March 23 poll.

She said Labor would also double the number of grants under its existing policy to expand after-school care in 20 locations.

The plan would create an additional 4,500 childcare places, Ms White said, saying the policy would cost $75m for the capital component.

Labor leader Rebecca White at Adventure Patch childcare centre in Blackmans Bay. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“This will make an enormous difference to Tasmanian families who are struggling with the cost of living who are trying to access childcare, but simply can’t who are on waiting lists for far too long,” she said.

“There is a role for the state government to play here and a Labor Government will make sure that happens.

Premier spruiks jobs, defence project on campaign day three

February 16

Premier Jeremy Rockliff spent day three of the state election campaign at a new facility that his government chipped in towards.

The state government put $5 million towards a $23 million facility at Wynyard for the Elphinstone Group.

Since the project’s announcement, the Elphinstone Group has gained significant defence manufacturing contracts.

Company founder Dale Elphinstone said the new facility is an example of government and industry working together.

The decision from Caterpillar to move manufacturing facilities to Thailand in 2016 left hundreds without jobs.

That “jeopardy” has been turned around to new opportunity, Mr Elphinstone says.

“We’ve reinvested, and the government’s given us the confidence and whether it’s the Orica project, the bus project, or now the defence project, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with the government to keep this area alive and jeep the manufacturing area alive here,” Mr Elphinstone said.

The Premier said Elphinstone was a great example of a Tasmanian homegrown business that had taken on the world, one piece of equipment at a time.

“We’ve come a long way over the course of the last 10 years,” he said.

Mr Rockliff said the election was about certainty, stability and delivering on key areas such as cost-of-living, health, housing and growing the economy and jobs.

He said the party’s 2030 strong plan for Tasmania would deliver a strong economy and create jobs.