The Hodgman Liberal Government is getting the budget back on track and heading for a surplus three years ahead of schedule.
Because of our disciplined and prudent financial management we are able to absorb unexpected costs and invest more in priority areas.
Today, the Government tabled a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to seek Parliamentary approval for additional expenditure incurred since the 2015-16 Budget was handed down.
This summer, Tasmania faced a significant bushfire threat. The Government makes no apologies for giving our emergency services all the support they needed to tackle the bushfire threat and to protect our homes, businesses, community facilities, families and our valuable natural environment.
Not only has the Tasmanian Fire Service, Tasmania Police, the State Emergency Service and the Tasmanian Ambulance Service been involved but we have also called upon significant additional resources. This has included a large range of aerial firefighting resources, interstate firefighters and firefighting equipment and specialist remote area firefighting crews from interstate and New Zealand. All of these resources have been critical to combating the bushfire threat.
As was the case with the 2013 bushfires, the priority has been fighting the fires. The total cost of the fire-fighting effort so far is estimated at $25 million.
The Government has already approved a $15 million request for additional funds, which will be included in the March Quarter Section 19 return and tabled in Parliament later this year. The Supplementary Appropriation Bill tabled today will provide the remaining $10 million required. Any additional costs over and above the $25 million provision will be included as a further request for additional funds.
The Supplementary Appropriation also includes $4.3 million for the Family Violence Action Plan and $13.5 million for our Affordable Housing Strategy in 2015 16.
The Government indicated as part of the Budget process that additional funding would be provided to implement the recommendations of the Family Violence Action Plan when that work had been completed. The $4.3 million in this Supplementary Appropriation for the Family Violence Action Plan in 2015-16 represents part of the new funding package of $25.6 million which the Government has announced to assist in addressing the critical issue of domestic violence over the next four years.
Likewise the $13.5 million allocated to support the implementation of the Government’s Affordable Housing Strategy represents the Government’s initial commitment to a clear plan of action to improve housing for Tasmanians that need it most.
The Bill provides additional recurrent funding for a number of other previously announced Government initiatives including:
• $1.3 million to support the Government’s Syrian Refugee Response;
• $10 million to facilitate the transition of the Tasmanian Health Service to an integrated state-wide service model;
• $1.7 million to support the June 2016 Dark MOFO event;
• $3.3 million to the Department of State Growth to meet employee separation costs and above budget expenditure; and
• $1.25 million as part of a grant agreement with Nyrstar for groundwater rehabilitation.
In addition, the Government has previously announced that it would bring forward significant infrastructure spending to help grow the economy and create jobs and this Supplementary Appropriation Bill provides for additional infrastructure spending worth $31.6 million in 2015-16.
This includes:
• $9.5 million in funding for our School upgrade program;
• $2.5 million brought forward for Prospect High School;
• $5.1 million in infrastructure funding for the Affordable Housing Strategy;
• $3.8 million for 14 priority Health and Human Services infrastructure projects;
• $2 million for the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison;
• $3 million for Huon Highway Glendevie Climbing Lanes; and
• $2 million for the Wrinkler’s Lagoon Bridge.
The funding detailed in the 2015-16 Supplementary Appropriation Bill provides for a significant investment in vital frontline services and job-creating infrastructure projects. Of the $73.5 million funding to be provided by this Bill, $60.5 million was reflected in the 2015-16 Revised Estimates Report with the remainder representing costings that have become available since that report was finalised.
It is important to note once again that the 2015-16 Revised Estimates Report confirms that the Budget will return to surplus in 2016-17, three years ahead of the Government’s target.
Peter Gutwein, Treasurer