Economy
Rally’s rage against the cuts
ABC Online:
Hundreds of Tasmanians have marched in a funeral-like procession through the streets of Hobart to protest against state government budget cuts.
A lone bagpiper and people carrying a fake coffin led the march from the Royal Hobart Hospital to Parliament lawns while hundreds of nurses, police officers, firefighters and members of the public shouted no more cuts.
The Premier Lara Giddings was the first person to address the rally, attracting angry ‘boos’ and comments like ‘shame.’
Warrane Primary School parent Sally-Anne McShane told the crowd, the Government has lost all credibility.
“Tasmanians are sick and tired of being fed the line there is just no more money when it’s more a case of mismanagement of funds and a total lack of transparency their priorities seem to be chasing imaginary foxes and acquiring more football teams,” she said.
The Greens Leader Nick McKim told the crowd he shares their frustration criticising government spending on football sponsorship and handouts to the forest industry.
Several Cabinet ministers attended the rally but stayed well clear of the crowd.
Rob Walls Picture Essay, also publishing on: http://thisworkinglife.wordpress.com :
Pic: David Obendorf
John Hawkins
It may be of interest in light of the problems over paying for Tasmania’s Health Service that in today’s Mercury, Page 61, the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services is advertising:
“North West Regional Hospital Burnie Multi Storey Car Park….Tenders are invited….
Category: Building Works Institutional $4,000,000.”
This begs the question: Which is more important; the comfort of those visiting the hospital to visit a friend or patient, or the health of a patient who has been lucky enough to gain admission?
Is this the brain dead at work or another project like the Spreyton Racetrack that can be sheeted home, between court cases, to our Deputy Premier, the not so Green, Green ?
• Nick McKim
DEBATE OVER GOVERNMENT SERVICES SHOULD INCLUDE TAX
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
The Tasmanian Greens today raised the issue of whether Tasmania’s tax base should be broadened and raised in order to meet community expectations for services such as health and education.
Speaking at a rally in Hobart today Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that tough decisions would need to be made to get the state’s finances back on track.
“If we want funding for public services like health that meets community expectations, we have to be prepared to ask ourselves whether we’re prepared to pay more taxes to fund them,” Mr McKim said.
“The Greens are not calling for an increase in taxes, however we do believe that the issue should be included in the broader public debate on government services.”
“We know that the cost of health will soon outstrip state budgets, which ultimately means that we must increase taxes, reduce costs or shift to an entirely different funding model.”
“The Greens did not create this budget mess, but we are not afraid to face up to the hard decisions that are needed to get the State’s finances onto a sustainable footing.”
“Along with the impacts of the GFC, we have inherited years of majority government’s poor financial management and bad decisions, including more than $700 million of public money wasted in the past decade propping up the failed forestry business model.”
“The Hawthorn football deal, V8 cars, the Land Tax cuts before the last election – none were supported by the Greens and all were supported by both Labor and Liberal.”
“Political leadership is about making and sticking to responsible decisions, no matter how hard they may be, rather than looking for populist outs.”