Tasmania votes 2024: rentals, childcare, grants hot topics of conversation on day 6

The Libs want to ease rental laws for pets while Labor has a plan to attract more childcare workers. The Greens want greater transparency over election promises. Election updates.

Tenants Union of Tasmania principal solicitor Ben Bartl and Angel who was surrendered to the Ten Lives Cat Centre because a family could not find a rental property that allowed pets. Picture: Chris Kidd

The Liberal Party says it will make changes to allow Tasmanians to have pets in rentals, if reelected, a move welcomed by some, but criticised by others.

The Liberal Party says it will make changes to allow Tasmanians to have pets in rentals, if reelected, a move welcomed by some, but criticised by others.

Tasmanian Liberal Leader Jeremy Rockliff on Monday announced the party’s intention to amend the residential tenancy act.

“Renters shouldn’t have to choose between having a place to live, and the pet they love,” he said.

Ten Lives Cat Centre CEO Noel Hunt with Rufus. Picture: Chris Kidd

CEO of Hobart cat shelter, Ten Lives, Noel Hunt said it would be a positive move.

“We see a lot of pets abandoned as people move to rental properties,” Mr Hunt said.

“We get a couple of families per week giving up their pets so they can stay in accommodation. It’s happening all the time.”

President of the Tasmanian Residential Rental Property Owners Association, Louise Elliot, said owners should have the right to decide if animals can stay at their properties.

“This is a disappointing move by the Liberals, not aligned with Liberal values, and a major shift from their position until very recently,” Ms Elliot said.

“We all love animals but it’s undeniable that they bring the risk of damage, which can be heartbreaking and easily had up to tens of thousands in costs.”

Greens want greater transparency over grant promises

The promise of community grants should never be misused to lure voters at the ballot box, the Tasmanian Greens have warned.

Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff also called on Tasmania’s major parties to back expanded powers for the Integrity Commission to cover behaviour during election campaigns.

Speaking in Hobart on Monday, Dr Woodruff said that with the major parties finalising their candidate lists ahead of the 23 March poll, it was “only a matter of time” before financially lucrative promises to community organisations started to be made.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Monday, January 22, 2024.

Dr Woodruff said community grants funding needed to be based on an independent, merit-based system, and involve a much greater level of transparency than that which currently existed.

Dr Woodruff said the Greens would commit $10 million to the Tasmanian Community Fund, in recognition of what she said were the extra services, and sports and recreational facilities, that Tasmanians desperately needed.

And while the Greens Leader admitted that election campaigns were a natural opportunity for community groups to make requests of politicians of all stripes, any funding must come via an arms-length, merit-based review, Dr Woodruff said.

“That’s when you hand over, when you’re in government, to public servants to make those assessments independently,” she said.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White said the public had very clear expectations of how taxpayer money was allocated in Tasmania, and said Labor was committed to following due process.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the Government would continue listening to the needs of constituents across the state, and offering assistance to communities where appropriate.

Labor pitches childcare operator deal: land for workers pay rise

A Tasmanian Labor government would attract more workers to Tasmania’s childcare sector, by

offering operators access to government land and buildings in exchange for them paying above-award wages.

Labor has made childcare a key plank of its election campaign, promising to expand or develop childcare centres in 50 locations across Tasmania and spend $75 million on capital works, with a goal of providing an additional 4500 places in care.

Labor spokesman for Education and Early Years Josh Willie. Picture: Supplied

On Monday, Labor spokesman for Education and Early Years Josh Willie said his party had long been on the record saying state governments had a role to play in the childcare sector.

“It’s not rocket science to recruit and retain staff,” Mr Willie said.

“Good pay and conditions, permanent work, access to training and professional development, and that’s exactly what our plan for 600 new workers does.”

Mr Willie said he had engaged the Federal Government on Labor’s workforce plan, which included 50 new early childhood education scholarships, a $3 million professional learning fund, and neurodiversity-awareness training.

Labor would also step in to run childcare centres through schools, in areas of the state that were traditionally difficult to staff, with the West Coast, Mr Willie said.

But Minister for Education, Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said Opposition Leader Rebecca White had failed to adequately explain how Labor’s plan would be achieved, or how it would be funded.