Lions in Tasmania turn coward in Canberra …

… TAS LIBERAL SENATORS FAIL TO STAND UP FOR OUR STATE’S FAIR SHARE OF GST

This week Tasmania’s Liberal Senators have again failed to stand up for our state, voting against a motion calling on the Turnbull Government to reveal its plans for our share of the GST before next month’s State Election.

The chest beating that we’ve seen from the Tasmanian Liberal Senators that they would fight for the state has again been exposed as a lie.

We’ve had Turnbull Government Ministers like Warren Entch calling for Tasmania’s share of the GST to be cut, but Tasmanian Liberal Senators have remained silent.

A fortnight ago the Tasmanian Liberal Government released the Revised Estimates Report which lists the Turnbull Government’s proposed changes to the GST as a major risk to the Tasmanian State Budget – but again, the Tasmanian Liberal Senators remained silent.

They may pretend to be lions at home, but they are cowards where it really matters – fighting for their state against the cuts planned by the Turnbull Government in Canberra.

This is despite Finance Minister Mathias Cormann today again refusing to rule out the cuts proposed in the Productivity Commission’s interim report which would see the distribution of GST revenue to Tasmania slashed by $168 million.

Today in Senate Question Time Finance Minister Mathais Cormann labelled hat the process that is underway with the GST as being “very transparent”.

This flies in the face of Tasmanians who deserve to be told the truth before they vote next month so they can make an informed choice about which party is best prepared to lead their state, and stand up to the Liberals in Canberra to protect their vital services.

Any raid on the GST revenue to Tasmania would hit families and the schools, hospitals and other vital services they rely on.

Time and time again the Tasmanian Liberal Senators have failed to put their state ahead of their mates, be it on schools, Medicare, aged care and now the GST.
SENATOR HELEN POLLEY SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE LEADER (TASMANIA) SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR AGEING SENATOR FOR TASMANIA