Media release – Rebecca White MP, Tasmanian Labor Leader, 30 May 2023

Labor’s Right Priorities Plan for Tasmania

Today I am proud to launch Labor’s Right Priorities Plan.

This is a plan to start addressing Tasmania’s biggest challenges after nearly a decade of neglect and inaction by the current minority Liberal Government.

Labor’s Right Priorities Plan is a first step to start repairing our health system, to start getting serious about making housing more affordable and start taking real steps to reduce the soaring cost of living.

Too many Tasmanians are being left behind by this minority Liberal government.

They’re waiting too long for healthcare, they’re finding it too hard to pay their bills and they’re finding it impossible to rent a house at an affordable price.

Labor’s Right Priorities Plan is about delivering better essential services for Tasmanians and supporting people to have a good job in a strong economy.

Labor’s Right Priorities Plan is available here.

Labor Leader Rebecca White’s Budget Reply speech: https://tasmaniantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Rebecca-White-Budget-Reply-2023.pdf.


Media release – Michael Ferguson, Treasurer, 30 May 2023

Labor’s wafer-thin red pamphlet confirms they can’t be trusted with taxpayers’ money

Labor has blown an opportunity to deliver its first alternative budget instead rolling out a reckless spendathon.

Treasurer, Michael Ferguson, said opposition Leader Rebecca White’s wishy-washy Budget reply continues to show more proof that Labor would return to their form, with big spending commitments that achieve little except breaking the Budget.

“On top of Labor’s adoption of the Greens’ wages policy to match inflation, costing $2.4 billion over just four years, Ms White has piled on more than $650 million in new operating expenditure,” he said.

“We know Labor’s electricity price cap would cost the taxpayers at least $50 million a year, and they have failed to support our Budget Efficiency Dividend which will add another $300 million to the Net Operating Balance.

“In addition to cutting the funding for the Macquarie Point Precinct project, we’ve allowed Ms White a Budget saving on the AFL team, because she is clearly prepared to kill the dream.

“This means that a Labor Budget would be heavily in deficit in each and every year of the Forward Estimates, starting at nearly $1 billion in the Budget year, and Net Debt would grow faster, reaching $6.4 billion in 2026-27.

“This just goes to show that Labor is all talk and no action, and a White Government would abandon any meaningful action to rebuild our fiscal buffers and instead trash Tasmania’s finances and economy.

“Claiming there is no need to find the funds to establish 24/7 emergency departments in every regional hospital because “it will pay for itself” is lazy and dishonest, designed to trick Tasmanians and avoid producing an alternative budget.

“The question remains, will Dr Broad survive as the hapless Shadow Treasurer or will Labor bring the exiled former leader David O’Byrne back in the fold to finally deliver Dr Broad’s AWOL alternative Budget.”