Kim Booth: Hodgman fails to rule out greater job cuts to fill federal funding claw-back hole

The silence from Premier Will Hodgman regarding potential deep cuts to state public sector workers and services while he is busy ruling out tax hikes and asset sales, is very telling, Greens Leader Kim Booth MP said today.

“The Premier must detail how he intends to meet his election commitments in the upcoming state budget if he is ruling out new state taxes, asset sales, or reform to the GST,” Mr Booth said.

“Any relief Tasmanians may feel due to Mr Hodgman’s pledge ruling out these options, is quickly overshadowed by his failure to also rule out increasing the number of public sector jobs already targeted, and deeper cuts to public services.”

“His silence on ruling out deeper cuts is deafening.”

“If the Liberals are not going to increase revenue by taxes or asset sale, then Mr Hodgman really only has two options. Cut jobs and services deeper than they have already flagged, or be upfront with Tasmanians and admit they cannot deliver on their election promises.”

“The Federal Liberal government is clawing back health and education funding, and Tasmanians deserve to know how Mr Hodgman and Mr Gutwein intend to do about it,” Mr Booth said.
Kim Booth MP | Greens Leader