Andrew Wilkie: Hands off Cadbury project

The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, today rejected calls from the Tasmanian Labor Party to redirect $16m in federal funding for a tourism centre at Cadbury’s Claremont factory to projects on the state’s west coast.

“Yes, the west coast is struggling with recent mine closures, but that is no reason to make the people of Hobart and Glenorchy pay,” Mr Wilkie said.

“The northern suburbs of my electorate of Denison have some of the highest instances of unemployment and social disadvantage in the state, so to deny them this job-creation opportunity would be grossly unfair.

“This grant will not be used to prop up the day-to-day business of Cadbury, it will be used to create a tourism venture that will create jobs and bring back one of Tasmania’s most popular tourism attractions.’’

Mr Wilkie said the State Opposition leader Bryan Green was being grossly hypocritical calling for money to be ripped from the Cadbury project.

“Remember the former state Labor government – of which Bryan Green was a senior member – offered Cadbury a $400,000 taxpayer grant to relocate its visitor centre to the Hobart waterfront,’’ he said.

“So in government the Tasmanian Labor Party was happy to offer Cadbury taxpayers’ money, but now in opposition it advocates withdrawing taxpayers’ funds.

“Bryan Green needs to explain this backflip.’’
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader