$45,000 cash grant opened up to anyone building a home

The biggest winners from the state and federal government spending blitz are Tasmanian home builders, who will can score $45,000 towards their dream house. Find out if you’re eligible>>

TASMANIAN new home builders will be the big winners from a $45,000 boost from the state and federal governments under stimulus funding.

Premier Peter Gutwein has unveiled his $1.8 billion two-year “infrastructure blitz” geared towards giving the construction industry in particular a massive boost.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also announcing the details of his $690 million HomeBuilder scheme.

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Mr Gutwein said his plan was designed to create or support 15,000 jobs and boost an economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

“There’s no better place in the country right now to build a house with our state-expanded First Home Owners funding of $20,000 for any owner-occupier to build a house, combined with the Federal Government’s injection of $25,000 meaning there’s a massive $45,000 available,” Mr Gutwein said.

The funding is part of $792 million in spending on housing, including 1,000 new social homes and double that number to be funded under plans for affordable and first-home buyer’s dwellings.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Roger Jaensch at the announcement of Tasmania’s massive construction program. Picture: Richard Jupe

Among the other big-ticket items is $68 million to upgrade Hobart’s Derwent Entertainment Centre to host a local NBL team and games. Mr Gutwein said the government was close to reaching agreement on a deal with the league’s owner.

In addition, 10 per cent of the $2.1 billion held by the state’s Retirement Benefits Fund will be directed into local investments.

There will be $40 million in road safety upgrades, $42 million for health infrastructure, $4 million in improvements for the Royal Botanic Gardens and $3 million for Hobart’s Cascades Female Factory Historic site.

And the government will spend $3.5 million will be invested on a new State Operations Centre to help responses to disasters.

Sporting groups welcomed the announcements of a $10 million Improving the Playing Field Fund, which will provide grants of up to $250,000 to clubs for facility and amenity upgrades.

Mr Gutwein said the increased spending would be in part funded by an increase in government debt, but did not specify how much, saying that it would partly be offset by increased revenues as the stimulus took effect.

The Derwent Entertainment Centre will also benefit from a $68 million to host a local NBL team and games. Picture: Kelvin Ball

“The package that we will be rolling out, that I’ve outlined today, is a package that we will rebuild Tasmania, both economically and socially.

“It will create jobs and importantly, it will get us back to where we were.”

The Premier also announced a statewide Skills Roundtable to discuss skills and training options that will help deliver the infrastructure blitz.

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Labor leader Rebecca White said the government has been unable to all of the infrastructure spending promised in last year’s budget and she had little faith that this announcement could be delivered in full.

The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the announcement.

“We congratulate the Premier for acting so swiftly to kickstart our economy now that the coronavirus appears to be under control”, Chief Operating Officer Colleen Reardon said.

“Taken together, these projects will provide a real shot in the arm to our economy.

“In combination with the Federal Government, the availability of up to $45,000 for new home builds will be a particularly effective measure at generating jobs and economic activity.

“Pleasingly, the projects are located right around the state which should assist to ensure a geographically balanced economic recovery”.