The Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim said Will Hodgman’s begging-bowl trip to Canberra to grovel for pulp mill spare change was another example of the Opposition Leader’s warped political priorities.
“Mr Hodgman has dusted off the old begging bowl and gone to grovel at Tony Abbott’s feet for taxpayers’ money to gamble on a doomed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley,” Mr McKim said.
“The markets have already shunned the pulp mill, but Will Hodgman thinks taxpayers should wear the risk instead.”
“He should be going to Canberra to fight for the two thirds of Gonski education funding that Christopher Pyne has so far refused to commit to.”
“He should be arguing for increased investment into the NBN, for assurances around Tasmania’s GST share, and for a halt to job cuts at CSIRO in Tasmania.”
“Instead he is going to argue that taxpayers should take on the catastrophic financial risk of an environmental disaster that the markets have already rejected as unviable.”
“It’s time we got away from this unimaginative and mendicant attitude, and started encouraging genuine investment that will set Tasmania up for a prosperous, low-carbon future.”
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader
